Bega Group has announced the national arrival of 100% recycled plastic bottles (excluding cap and label) for its impulse milk beverage range, as the Australian food and beverage manufacturer works to become more sustainable.
This announcement is tied to Bega Group’s Planet Pledge, which has seen the business set targets around waste reduction, water reduction and more sustainable packaging, alongside other climate focuses. As part of these goals, Bega Group has committed to having approximately 50% of its products use recycled materials and 100% of products being either reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.
Bega Group is moving closer to this target, announcing that by September 2023, all of its flavoured milk and iced coffee bottles (under 1L) will be made from 100% rPET – bottles that are made from 100% recycled plastic and can be recycled over and over again once the product is consumed (excludes cap & label).
Dare Iced Coffee, Big M, and Dairy Farmers Classic branded products made from rPET plastic will start to appear on shelves from today, with Farmers Union Iced Coffee transitioning from May and Masters from July 2023. The Juice Brothers’ 1.5L bottles, which are made from 100% recycled and recyclable plastic (excluding caps & labels) are already available for consumers to shop on shelves.
“Bega Group is a proud Aussie owned food and beverage company, and we are pleased to be doing our bit to contribute to a more circular economy for Australia,” says Bega Dairy and Drinks Executive General Manager Darryn Wallace.
“82.5% of Bega’s packaging is already reusable, recyclable or compositable and the launch of rPET will contribute to our packaging targets further by significantly reducing the amount of virgin plastic we use as a business in line with the APCO packaging targets.”
The Juice Brothers are further contributing to its parent company’s wider sustainability goals with a recent Carbon Neutral certification of its 1.5L bottle product range – meaning the brand has an ambitious carbon reduction program and is offsetting the carbon emitted of its 1.5L juice products with 100% Australian Carbon Credit Units, becoming carbon neutral – a carbon footprint equal to zero.
This Carbon Neutral certification is awarded by Climate Active in conjunction with The Australian Government.
“Bega Group is delighted to invest in nature-based solution projects that provide environmental and community benefits to Australia as well as reduce carbon emissions,” adds Bega Group, Group Manager – Environment Carolina Arango.
“Squeezing instead of crushing our orange, apple and pear fruit to preserve the peels and re-use that as local animal feed, as well as committing to making our 1.5L bottles out of 100% recycled and recyclable plastic (excluding caps & labels), are features of our products that are proudly Carbon Neutral and delicious.”
The Juice Brothers’ 100% recycled and recyclable plastic bottles were recently recognised as a finalist in the ‘Sustainable Packaging Design of the Year’ category at this year’s Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards. These awards aim to acknowledge companies who are making a significant difference within the packaging space.
The Juice Brothers’ Climate Active Certification for its 1.5L range is part of the pathway to achieve Bega Group’s goal of reducing its carbon emissions by 40% in 2030, to net zero in 2050 in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
For more information, visit begagroup.com.au/sustainability.