UK: Budweiser to trial "ultra-low carbon" beer cans in the UK

Partnership between Budweiser and aluminium and packaging specialists EN+, Elval and Canpack will see five million 440ml low carbon beer cans available cross UK this autumn, Business Green reported on September 22.

Budweiser Brewing Group has announced plans to trial "ultra-low carbon" beer cans in the UK, as it gears up to make five million 440ml cans available to drinkers across the country this autumn.

The UK branch of multinational brewing giant AB InBev has partnered with Russian low carbon aluminium producer Rusal - part of the En+ Group - Poland's Canpack, and rolled aluminium manufacturer Elval to develop the cans using zero emissions technology and renewable electricity, it revealed yesterday.

Budweiser claims the beer cans, which are made from a mix of recycled aluminium and "ultra low carbon" aluminium produced by Rusal, will have the lowest carbon footprint of any AB InBev Europe can, with production of the packaging traceable back to its source.

The cans will also be filled with beer produced at Budweiser's breweries in South Wales and Lancashire, which are powered using 100 per cent renewable electricity, the firm said.

"Like our consumers, we care about climate change, and want to make it as easy as possible for people to choose environmentally-friendly options in their day-to-day lives, whether it's enjoying a beer brewed with 100 per cent renewable electricity and locally sourced ingredients, or now in a low-carbon can," said Mauricio Coindreau, sustainability director at Budweiser Brewing Group UK and Ireland. "We're excited about this pilot, made possible thanks to the collaboration with our partners and this amazing technological breakthrough, and we look forward to being able to roll it out even further."

The partnership is the latest in a line of sustainability initiatives led by Budweiser, including removing plastic rings from its cans, using 100 per cent British grown barley and brewing every single can, bottle and keg of its beer with 100 per cent renewable electricity since January 2021.

Aluminium is more or less infinitely recyclable, and three quarters of aluminium ever produced is still in use today, according to EN+. However, a report earlier in the year found that Budweiser cans are among the most littered, with AB InBev being grouped in the top three companies for branded packaging pollution, which accounted for 33 per cent of the rubbish collected during the research.

22 September, 2021