Brita Water

Brita Premium Purified Water / Source: Brita

AluminiumFood & BeverageNorth AmericaPackaging

3 MINUTE READ

Emma Grace Bailey

WHAT WE SAY:

One day we will look back in wonder at the madness of the plastic bottled water market. One million plastic bottles a minute are bought worldwide, used for moments, existing for centuries, rarely recycled. And then of course there are the health implications of drinking from plastic. Brita’s 100% aluminium water bottles mark a turning point, offering a lightweight, durable take on the ubiquitous plastic bottle that can be both refilled and infinitely recycled.

This also aligns well with Brita’s brand principles, encouraging us to drink tap water. In the new design book, single-use is always the last resort, so we would love to see other bold beverage brands embrace this ‘sell once, refill many times, then recycle’ model as a genuine route to reducing their impact.

KEY FACTS:

German water filtration company Brita has launched Premium Purified Water in 100% Aluminium bottles, designed for reuse while also being infinitely recyclable.
Created by Trivium, the bottles are BPA-free and made entirely from aluminium, even the cap, which would normally contain plastic.
Available in packs of 4, 6, 12 and 24, and in both 18 and 25 ounce sizes, the water bottles are available nationwide in the US, with stockists, including Albertsons, Safeway, Harris Teeter and Lowe’s Foods.

Single aluminium Brita Premium Purified Water bottle / Source: Brita

Six and four pack of Brita Premium Purified Water in Atlantic Packaging’s Fishbone C-Clip, paper-based carrier system / Source: Brita

DIVE DEEPER:

According to Euromonitor International, one million single-use plastic bottles are purchased every minute around the world, equating to 480 billion in 2018 alone. All of these are eventually thrown away.
Designed as an alternative to single-use plastic bottles, Brita’s refillable aluminium bottles are durable, lightweight and more affordable than refillable stainless steel bottles.
The bottle is intended to replace the convenience of bulk buying single-use plastic bottles and can be refilled at home, then efficiently recycled in kerbside recycling systems. Brita touts aluminium’s infinitely recyclable properties as a reason for the launch.
The brand worked directly with Trivium to develop a bottle with metal threads on the neck. Traditionally with larger aluminium bottles - 25 ounces - a plastic outsert is needed on the neck of the bottle to receive the aluminium closure. This design negates the need for plastic.
The brand’s graphics are also printed directly onto the bottles, eliminating the need for a plastic label.
The custom-designed, paper-based carrier system Fishbone, by Atlantic Packaging, is also noteworthy. First, the paperboard comes from Billerud, whose sustainable practices mean that despite shipping from Sweden, its carbon emissions are two thirds lower than typical US-based boards. Second, its repulpable, water-based barrier coating improves the paper’s durability without requiring any plastic. Third, after some customisation, it can be automatically applied at the scale required for mass market retail.

"Brita Water is revolutionary...looking at the total solution for the consumer. We’re very averse to any kind of waste...We’re not just selling water; we’re selling a solution that is an alternative to single-use plastic."

Jennifer Brooks - President, B Water & Beverages - as quoted in Forbes

Key Design Considerations:

Incentives are key for adoption

Obviously customers can easily refill water bottles at home. Companies with more bespoke products will have to think about how they incentivise people to refill and the logistics involved. Models include in-store (either refill machines or swapping empties for a new pre-filled bottle), at-home deliveries (via pouches or concentrated formulations) or mail-back subscription services.

Seek recycled aluminium

When using aluminium, increasing the recycled content of your packaging will dramatically reduce the energy and emissions required when compared to virgin materials.

Deposit / return schemes will help you succeed

Consider where your products will be consumed - and if the kerbside recycling infrastructure is not sufficient, then consider implementing a deposit / return system. Ball is working to align the aluminium industry around achieving a 90% global recycling rate for aluminium beverage cans, bottles and cups.