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Wait... they're using plastic bottles right now?! The bottles I know are glass + metal top. perfect for recycling. Am I missing something? Edit: lol okay I'm n

Wait... they're using plastic bottles right now?! The bottles I know are glass + metal top. perfect for recycling. Am I missing something? Edit: lol okay I'm not the only one. So is it a marketing ploy then?

etrautmann 6y ago
The little airplane bottles are frequently plastic?
- Zenst 6y ago
  That is true, then hotel mini bars, soon stacks up in volume in a way that is easily overlooked, more so when you just see the glass bottle variations.
  - ballenf 6y ago
    I can't remember the last time I saw a stocked hotel mini fridge even before coronavirus. (Why sell Vodka for $10 when you can sell bottled tap water with even higher margins and it's super easy to restock and give away to your frequent travelers?)
Frost1x 6y ago
Aside from very large containers of cheaper of "mid tier" quality alcohols and samplers, I've never seen a plastic bottle. For scotch, I've never seen anything but glass and don't believe I'd buy anything but glass. Is there an advantage to paper recycling over glass? I know I've went through the whole "recycle your own paper" project when I was a kid but nothing to the level an industrial plant would likely do. I'm assuming energy requirements may be the same? Paper seems like it might be more difficult in some cases. Way out of my area of expertise.
- jschwartzi 6y ago
  Usually the rotgut canadian whiskies like Rich & Rare are sold in plastic gallon bottles here.
- pavon 6y ago
  I know our local waste department has had a very hard time finding anyone to recycle the glass they collect. Some of it ends up crushed and tumbled to be used for landscaping. But most of it is crushed and layered over the landfill liner. That is technically recycling/reuse as I think something else like gravel would be used otherwise, but it isn't what people expect when they recycle their bottles. I don't have any official information about what prevents it from being recycled but I've heard word of mouth that transportation costs are a huge factor if you don't already have glass production in your area. Also that sorting is a big issue, as different glasses have different additives, and need to be recycled separately but sorting is hard to do safely and cost effectively.
- beenBoutIT 6y ago
  By virtue of not floating and not killing aquatic life paper has much better optics, even if it all just ends up being burned as biomass fuel.
dfxm12 6y ago
From the article: Diageo uses less than 5% of plastic in its total packaging. Normal 750ml bottles sold to consumers are likely glass, but who knows about smaller bottles or products sold to other markets.
arrosenberg 6y ago
It definitely seems like a marketing ploy, but I'd also have to wonder if the paper container is light enough compared to the glass/metal container to make a big difference in distribution costs.

etrautmann 6y ago

The little airplane bottles are frequently plastic?

Zenst 6y ago
That is true, then hotel mini bars, soon stacks up in volume in a way that is easily overlooked, more so when you just see the glass bottle variations.
- ballenf 6y ago
  I can't remember the last time I saw a stocked hotel mini fridge even before coronavirus. (Why sell Vodka for $10 when you can sell bottled tap water with even higher margins and it's super easy to restock and give away to your frequent travelers?)

Frost1x 6y ago

Aside from very large containers of cheaper of "mid tier" quality alcohols and samplers, I've never seen a plastic bottle. For scotch, I've never seen anything but glass and don't believe I'd buy anything but glass. Is there an advantage to paper recycling over glass? I know I've went through the whole "recycle your own paper" project when I was a kid but nothing to the level an industrial plant would likely do. I'm assuming energy requirements may be the same? Paper seems like it might be more difficult in some cases. Way out of my area of expertise.

jschwartzi 6y ago
Usually the rotgut canadian whiskies like Rich & Rare are sold in plastic gallon bottles here.
pavon 6y ago
I know our local waste department has had a very hard time finding anyone to recycle the glass they collect. Some of it ends up crushed and tumbled to be used for landscaping. But most of it is crushed and layered over the landfill liner. That is technically recycling/reuse as I think something else like gravel would be used otherwise, but it isn't what people expect when they recycle their bottles. I don't have any official information about what prevents it from being recycled but I've heard word of mouth that transportation costs are a huge factor if you don't already have glass production in your area. Also that sorting is a big issue, as different glasses have different additives, and need to be recycled separately but sorting is hard to do safely and cost effectively.
beenBoutIT 6y ago
By virtue of not floating and not killing aquatic life paper has much better optics, even if it all just ends up being burned as biomass fuel.

dfxm12 6y ago

From the article: Diageo uses less than 5% of plastic in its total packaging. Normal 750ml bottles sold to consumers are likely glass, but who knows about smaller bottles or products sold to other markets.

arrosenberg 6y ago

It definitely seems like a marketing ploy, but I'd also have to wonder if the paper container is light enough compared to the glass/metal container to make a big difference in distribution costs.