Diageo launches trial of eco-friendly paper bottles for Baileys

UK – Diageo, the maker of Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky, Don Julio Tequila, and Guinness, has announced plans to trial paper-based packaging for Baileys, the Original Irish Cream Liqueur.

In partnership with PA Consulting and as part of the Bottle Collective with PA and PulPac, Diageo is testing a Dry-Molded Fiber bottle composed of 90% paper with a thin plastic liner and a foil seal.

This bottle is designed to be recyclable in standard paper streams without requiring consumers to separate the plastic liner from the paper bottle.

The trial involves 2,000 mini (80ml) Baileys bottles and will take place at the Time Out Festival in Barcelona, Spain, from May 25 – 26.

This is Diageo’s first consumer-facing trial with paper-based bottles. It aims to evaluate the bottles’ durability during transit from the filling site in Ireland to Barcelona, consumer interaction with the material, and their understanding of the bottle’s sustainability credentials.

Ewan Andrew, President of Global Supply Chain and Procurement and Chief Sustainability Officer at Diageo, stated, “When it comes to our packaging, we’re taking an approach of progress over perfection, knowing our packaging will need to evolve along with consumer needs and technological advancements.

“The consumer is becoming more sustainability savvy, and we believe we can meet that need using our design and innovation to bring premium products and more sustainable solutions together.”

Although 68% of consumers want to buy more sustainably, only 12% do, hindered by barriers like expense, lack of availability, and confusion about sustainable options.

Diageo aims to close this ‘say-do’ gap by developing and marketing more sustainable products and communicating its sustainability credentials.

Diageo has implemented organizational frameworks to support these efforts. These include an environmental CLAIMS checklist based on CMA guidelines and LCA assessment tools to ensure science, substantiation, and creativity in their communications.

Jamie Stone, Design and Innovation Expert at PA Consulting said, “We are delighted that the Diageo Baileys Minis are now hitting the consumer market. Dry-molded fiber bottles are a huge step forward, setting new standards for more sustainable packaging. But this is only the beginning.

“PulPac’s dry molded fiber technology has immense potential: not only is it water-saving, energy-efficient, and recyclable, but it is also viable at commercial manufacturing speeds and scale.”

Diageo is exploring paper formats across its wider portfolio. As a committed member of the Pulpex consortium, Diageo continues to develop its Johnnie Walker paper-based bottle concept, which is still in the development phase, along with other paper-based bottle concepts.

Additionally, Diageo is working on a spiral-wound paper-based bottle for Don Papa, the super-premium Filipino rum brand.

In feasibility testing, this bottle aims to eliminate the need for a separate cardboard gift box by integrating the design into the bottle.

Diageo is also exploring other packaging formats to address its sustainability goals. Through Diageo Sustainable Solutions, the company is trialing lightweight glass bottles using a novel coating developed by EXXERGY.

Following a successful first stage, Diageo has invested in further lab testing in collaboration with supply chain partners Ardagh and Dassault Systèmes.

In March, Diageo announced a trial of 30,000 Baileys bottles in an aluminum format across selected European airports, with an anticipated 44% reduction in carbon emissions compared to the current glass bottle.

These packaging trials support Diageo’s wider 10-year ESG action plan, ‘Society 2030: Spirit of Progress.’ Packaging contributes one-third of Diageo’s total Scope 3 carbon footprint, and these innovative new options aim to reduce this impact.

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