Jägermeister opts for corrugated packaging in a bid to reduce carbon footprint

GERMANY – Wolfenbüttel-based herbal liqueur manufacturer Jägermeister has switched from solid board to corrugated cases in a move to reduce weight and carbon footprint.

The move to corrugated packaging has made an average of 38.4% weight saving, says the company. Helped by the fact that the proportion of recycled fiber in the board can now go over 90%, it calculates that “half the resources” are needed in production.

The strength and lightweight properties of corrugated boxes make them a better choice than regular cardboard packages.

Corrugated containers have a three-layer design that creates air-filled pockets between the inner and outer layers, which offers better protection of products without the added weight.

Based on a figure of 19.4 million cases, Jägermeister believes it will be saving 249 tonnes of CO2 equivalent a year.

Senior procurement director Carsten Doliwa praised the “innovative strength” of the new local suppliers, as well as the internal interdisciplinary collaboration that led to the case redesign.

Doliwa said: “The innovative strength of the new local suppliers – in addition to the excellent, interdisciplinary collaboration internally – has led to the success of this project.

“It starts with the selection of recycled paper and ends with production on highly efficient machines.”

Senior director of sustainability Sandra Broschat added: “The new boxes bring us one step closer to our goal of reducing and optimizing the resource consumption of all our packaging.”

The first cardboard boxes have already been processed in production at the beginning of 2023, so the worldwide conversion will take place successively from now on, notes the company.

Other than reducing the net weight of packaging and carbon footprint, corrugated packaging are made from a high percentage of recycled paper, think cartons or newspaper, and can be recycled again after they have been used.

“Not only is corrugated packaging easily recyclable and renewable, but it can be reused as is, helping to further reduce packaging costs and the environmental impact,” notes Barry Tabor, Managing Director of BCS.

Similarly, most corrugated packaging is made without dyes or bleaches, meaning it can be disposed of more sustainably than other types of material that contain contaminants.

Manufactured from paper pulp, corrugated packaging is predominately made from timber from fast-growing pine trees but can also be created from woodchips and leftover materials from a range of paper-making processes.

Through this switch, Jägermeister joins other companies that have made changes to their packaging to reduce carbon footprints.

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