Charl Bassil, global VP Absolut, said: "Absolut Vodka has a rich heritage of collaborations and partnerships, and the brand is working towards developing packaging solutions that consumers want and our planet needs. Absolut remains committed to a sustainable future in which it continues to mix things up, with recyclable lighter paper-based bottles to complement Absolut’s iconic glass bottles. This ground-breaking test takes Absolut a step closer to that becoming a reality."
So based on Bassil's statement, it's not that Absolut is moving away from glass bottles, rather it is seeking to provide an alternative paper-based option for different consumption occasions.
However, industry pundits say that this paper bottle format is not sustainable, and certainly not circular in its design.
Paul Foulkes-Arellano, circularity educator at Circuthon Consulting, argues: "This format is now six years into its development cycle, and they introduced a novel plastic (43 per cent PEN) with just 57 per cent pulp, requiring any purchaser to separate the pulp for the paper stream and then put the inner bottle into the landfill bin."
In a LinkedIn post that has sparked a spate of negative commentary about the Absolut paper bottle, with call outs of "greenwashing" and "#Absolutjoke", Foulkes-Arellano points out that Paboco, in its development process, is heading towards a Frugalpac Frugal Bottle "very slowly".
Frugalpac's Frugal Bottle has just entered the Australian market. It is comprised of 94 per cent paper.
He adds, "The next iteration will still have 15 per cent plastic. By the time it's ready, the glass industry will have decarbonised with hydrogen furnaces."
"Single-use non-refill is not circular, nor is it sustainable", Foulkes-Arellano stresses.
