Drinks Sector News

The Shortlist is announced for the 2023 Drinks Sustainability Awards

The Shortlist is announced for the 2023 Drinks Sustainability Awards
The judging has concluded and we are delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2023 Drinks Sustainability Awards, revealing the sustainability initiatives of the on-trade drinks sector’s leading responsible businesses. The Drinks Sustainability Awards, brought to you by Footprint and C&C Group, is the barometer for sustainability and responsible business practice for the drinks industry and represents the…
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Beverage sector falling behind its net-zero goals

Beverage sector falling behind its net-zero goals
Global beverage companies need to increase the rate at which they are reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 11-fold if they are to meet their net-zero targets. A new analysis by consultancy Kearney found that in 2021, beverage companies emitted 1.5 billion tonnes of CO2e, representing 3.8% of all global CO2e emissions, down just 2.5% from 2018. Based…
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Growing greener grains for whisky

Growing greener grains for whisky
Malt whisky and cereal experts at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh are testing barley grown with ‘green fertilisers’ in a bid to reduce emissions from production of the crop. The so-called ‘biostimulants’, made from algae, bacteria and yeast, are being assessed against traditional nitrogen fertilisers. Growth, health, quality and yield are all being compared. “It’s not…
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Brits support health warnings on alcoholic drinks

Brits support health warnings on alcoholic drinks
A majority of adults in Britain want to see the provision of nutritional information and health warnings on alcohol products made mandatory. A poll by YouGov commissioned by the Alcohol Health Alliance charity asked 12,000 adults what they believe should be legal requirements for alcohol labels: 76% of people believe the number of units in…
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Absolut madness? Drinks brands criticised for material switches

Absolut madness? Drinks brands criticised for material switches
Moves to repackage drinks have been branded “madness” by some experts. Drinks companies are racing to design new sustainable packaging in a bid to both remove plastic and cut their greenhouse gas emissions. Fibre is becoming a firm favourite for brands that currently package their drinks in glass or plastic. This month, Absolut Vodka announced…
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Scotland’s DRS delayed until October 2025

Scotland’s DRS delayed until October 2025
The launch of Scotland’s deposit return scheme (DRS) will be delayed until at least October 2025. UKHospitality called the news a “relief” while campaigners said it represented a “bleak day” for the environment. Scotland had already delayed its DRS twice, and was awaiting an exemption from the UK internal market act (IMA) so it could…
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Glass decision could shatter DRS plans

Glass decision could shatter DRS plans
The future of Scotland’s deposit return scheme (DRS) hangs in the balance after ministers in Westminster insisted that glass be excluded from the scheme. The UK Government this week agreed to an exclusion from the Internal Market Act on a temporary basis but on the condition that glass is excluded from Scotland’s DRS. It said…
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Drinks giants receive funding to cut carbon

Drinks giants receive funding to cut carbon
Heineken, Britvic and AB Inbev are among a number of major UK manufacturers to receive government funding to improve their energy efficiency and cut carbon emissions. The government has awarded 26 businesses in total a share of £24.3m from the industrial energy transformation fund (IETF), which supports businesses using high amounts of energy to reduce…
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Scotland bottles DRS (again and again)

Scotland bottles DRS (again and again)
Will it be a case of ‘third time lucky’ as first minister postpones deposit return scheme until 2024. David Burrows reports. Humza Yousaf’s inaugural speech as first minister was pitched as “new leadership, a fresh start for Scotland”. But for environmental policy it was the same old story of a politician who is “committed” to change but…
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