From Iconic Glass To Plastic; How Snapple’s New Plastic Bottles Actually Boost Sustainability
In 2018, Snapple did the unthinkable: they moved away from their iconic glass bottles with the caps that made a familiar popping noise when removed, revealing a fun fact for consumers to read as they enjoyed their delicious iced tea or juice beverage.
What would be the new Snapple bottle?
Plastic!?
The biggest shock for faithful Snapple consumers wasn’t the fact that Snapple would consider ditching their iconic glass bottles, but that they’d ditch them for plastic.
The move was especially as so many other brands were doing the opposite: ditching plastic and moving to glass.
But as many faithful consumers pushed back against Snapple and what they considered a “step in the wrong direction for sustainability,” Snapple began to educate their consumers on what this packaging change actually meant, and how it had radically transformed and boosted their team’s sustainability efforts.
Snapple’s Holistic Approach
Too many brands today are looking at sustainability through binoculars.
They zone in on just one area - manufacturing, logistics, how a consumer will behave, the product’s recyclability, etc. - and pick a sustainable “solution” that can help in that individual area.
When companies pursue sustainability by focusing on a single detail, they can easily miss how that detail impacts the system as a whole. This is known as the silo effect.
The silo effect can be deadly for a company, ultimately sabotaging its good intentions.
For instance, a packaging solution might increase a product’s overall recyclability, but it may simultaneously increase the product’s carbon footprint during production and transportation…or vice versa.
This is where Snapple got it right.
They chose to view sustainability from a holistic perspective, seeing how changes would affect every aspect of their operation rather than just one area.
By looking holistically, Snapple discovered that their new plastic bottles would be the best overall solution for greater brand sustainability.
How Plastic Increased Snapple’s Sustainability
So how exactly are Snapple’s new plastic bottles better for sustainability?
The bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic, preventing plastic waste from ending up in oceans, rivers, or landfills.
They’re using 75% less energy to make the plastic bottles than they used to make the previous glass ones
Each bottle is made with 80% fewer materials
Because plastic bottles are significantly lighter than glass, Snapple is using 8,500 fewer trucks per year in transportation. Fewer trucks = less CO2 emissions.
Snapple’s new shrink sleeve label is made with washable inks, which allows the plastic to be made into new products later.
Can Your Brand Do the Same As Snapple?
Maybe your brand is feeling inspired to follow Snapple’s lead in regards to sustainability, but you’re feeling overwhelmed.
That’s where we come in.
Our team of packaging experts has been in the game for 10+ years and have learned to view sustainability from a holistic perspective rather than through the lens of binoculars.
We’d love to work with you to come up with the best sustainable packaging solutions, avoiding greenwashing but still fitting within your current needs.
It’s simple…
Step 1. Schedule a complimentary packaging consultation with one of our packaging experts. We'll help you look at sustainability from a holistic perspective, and then tailor packaging solutions that fit your team’s needs.
Step 2. We’ll send you complimentary samples to test.
Step 3. We’ll provide you with a quote.
Simply fill out our contact form, email us at info@tangopackaging.com, or call (844) 33-TANGO [82646].