Award for innovative reusable drinks packaging

Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) and the Stiftung Initiative Mehrweg (SIM) have awarded the Reusable Innovation Prize in Berlin for the ninth time. This year's winners have made important contributions to making reusable drinks packaging even more attractive, environmentally friendly and consumer-friendly.

Beverage retailer Hans-Peter Kastner, Genossenschaft Deutscher Brunnen for the glass pearl bottle, Hochdorfer Kronenbrauerei and the Recup reusable cup system received the award for their outstanding achievements. As a result, reusable packaging continues to extend its lead over disposable packaging.

Germany has a packaging problem: with 227 kg per capita and year Germany is the undisputed leader in Europe when it comes to packaging waste. This makes it all the more important not to simply accept the ever-growing mountains of waste, but to consistently focus on regional reusable bottles and environmental protection. This is exactly what the now nationally recognised Stuttgart-based Drinks retailer Hans-Peter Kastner for which he received the Reusable Innovation Award.

„At a time when large discounters and drinks manufacturers are refusing to offer drinks in reusable bottles, the courageous drinks retailer Hans-Peter Kastner is bucking this climate-damaging trend. He offers No disposable plastic bottles since summer 2019 and cans. This decision, which was unique in Germany at the time, attracted a great deal of attention nationwide and had a positive impact on consumers and other beverage retailers. Great hands-on effects. But Kastner's journey does not end with the phasing out of single-use plastic bottles. He is publicly in favour of reusable packaging and highlights problematic aspects of single-use packaging with unparalleled commitment.“
Jürgen Resch, DUH Federal Managing Director

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For the use of a new and highly efficient bottle washer, the Hochdorfer Kronenbrauerei from the Swabian town of Nagold-Hochdorf. Thanks to the use of a new machine, water consumption has been halved compared to the previous cleaning technology. Particularly efficient insulation also reduces energy consumption.

„The Hochdorfer Kronenbrauerei embodies the new bottle washer, as one of many implemented innovations, the motto ‚Reusable is climate protection‘ and proves impressively that the future does not belong to large brewing giants that fill their standardised beers into climate-damaging cans or plastic bottles and transport them thousands of kilometres. The The future belongs to medium-sized breweries, that promote regional economic cycles, operate sustainably and fill their characterful, unique beer specialities in ecologically beneficial returnable bottles,“ says Roland Demleitner, Managing Director of the German Association of Private Breweries.

Also honoured was the Glass pearl bottle from the German Fountain Co-operative in the honour award category.

„50 years after its market launch, the pearl bottle is still the most successful reusable packaging for the economical use of resources. It is the cornerstone of the environmentally friendly German reusable beverage packaging system. Due to its Can be reused up to fifty times and regional marketing, it contributes to climate protection.“
Barbara MetzDeputy DUH Federal Managing Director

The company Recup receives the award for the establishment of a Germany-wide Deposit system for returnable coffee-to-go cups. „With its long-lasting reusable cups and the networking of thousands of coffee-to-go outlets, the company avoids waste, conserves resources and protects the climate. Recup is revolutionising an entire industry that for many years relied solely on disposable bottles and the excessive waste of resources. The initiative makes it clear once again that reusable bottles don't just work for classic drinks bottles,“ explains SIM Managing Director Martina Gehrmann.

Source: Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V.