What will you choose for your business between plastic and glass containers?

GLASS VS PLASTIC. Which is the best packaging Option for your business?

Most Brewers and Beverage Companies ask me, what packaging is best for their business. Should they use plastic or glass packaging for their products? I always say that it depends. In considering what will work in your business it is imperative that you look at your product, your customers, input and transport costs, logistics, environmental impact, and the list goes on. So, the decision is up to your business. However, in making this choice you have to make sure whether it’s plastic or glass – that the packaging is sustainable and does not harm the environment. Your choice therefore should either be Returnable Glass Bottles (RGB) or Refillable Plastics (PET) Bottles (RefPET). What factors should you consider when weighing these two packaging options against each other?

The 7 Factors below will be key when considering what will work for your company:

1. PERCEIVED QUALITY OF EACH PACKAGING

Consumers generally perceive the glass to be of superior quality and sophisticated. However, Glass Breaks. Plastic on the other hand is seen as cheap, but is durable, flexible, and can be moulded into different looks and sizes. What marketing look are you going for? This will help you decide what works for you.

2. PACKAGING CHARACTERISTICS AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Glass is firm, inert, and can withstand high temperatures. Its impermeability and inertness make it a suitable packaging option for spirits and beverage products. Glass keeps Fizzy products bubbly for longer. Plastic is versatile, comes in many forms and densities and its use is universal. However, plastic cannot handle extremely high temperatures as it will melt.

3. SHIPPING GLASS VS PLASTIC

Glass (especially returnable glass bottles) is heavier and costs more to transport especially over long distances. Glass is fragile and breaks and this cost must be factored into the comparison. Plastic (PET Bottles) by comparison is lighter and more durable than glass and easier to transport at less cost.

4. COST OF GLASS VS PLASTIC?

Glass requires more heat and energy to produce compared to plastic which used considerably less energy. Economically, plastic exceeds glass in terms of both production and shipping.

5. ENVIRONMENTAL AND RECYCLING CONSIDERATIONS

Both Glass and Plastic Bottles are recyclable, however, not to the same extent. Glass Bottles can be reused, as well as washed, and sterilized. Most plastic bottles can be recycled but they degrade with each cycle – known as downcycling.

6. CONSUMER HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

Glass is non-toxic and does not have any toxic chemicals. Because of its non-porous nature, it prevents leaching of any kind. So, glass can store beverage products for a long period of time with no risk of contamination. Plastic has a bad reputation for toxicity and leaching harmful chemicals into products – this is especially true when there is improper storage and handling. To reduce this risk suppliers must store the products correctly and at the right temperatures.

7. WHAT ARE YOU PACKAGING AND HOW WILL IT BE USED?

What are you filling in the bottle? Is it a spirit, a beverage, or something else? What is the life cycle of your product? Answering these questions will help you decide which packaging option is better for you. Glass vs plastic might help your all-natural beverage sell better, but a product that a child or baby handles might be ideal in plastic.

So, what will it be for you? There is no wrong or right answer. You will have to weigh the pros and cons for both and decide what’s best for your business. And sometimes it makes sense to adopt both options, RGB and RefPET.