Glass: Packaging that’s clearly worth a second look | Grocery Dive
Glass containers are seeing a resurgence on grocery store shelves, as more and more food manufacturers return to the packaging material that used to be the mainstay until plastics took the pole position in the 1970s. The catalyst behind this movement back towards glass bottles and jars ties into our Cleaner Living Investment theme as food manufacturers look to position their products to appeal to consumer’s demand for products that are not only good for their own health, but good for the health of the planet as well:
The perception of glass as a receptacle for high-quality products also stems from its transparency — both literally and figuratively. “From an aesthetic perspective, we think it gives you a really nice perspective on what the product is,” Bingham said. “You’re able to see the product, you’re able to experience the product in a way that you can’t otherwise.” On a more figurative level, glass — a natural product made from silica sand, soda ash, limestone and often recycled material — is transparent about its environmental impacts.As the only packaging material that doesn’t require a plastic or chemical liner, glass is easily recyclable. Recycling programs for glass bottles and jars are available to 81% of the U.S. population, according to the Glass Packaging Institute. With 2.4 million tons of glass being recycled annually into new containers, according to the Glass Recycling Coalition, that translates to about a third of all glass jars in the U.S. containing recycled material, explained Cattaneo.
Source: Glass: Packaging that’s clearly worth a second look | Grocery Dive
