Could aluminium become the packaging ‘champion’?

There is a row of aluminum cans in front of me, but there is no drink in sight.

Instead, these jars are designed to store toiletries such as shampoo, body wash and hand wash, condiments such as ketchup, and household cleaning products.

I work at the London R&D center of Meadow, a start-up that has developed a new packaging system.

Their idea is to move products that are currently packaged in plastic into aluminum cans.

The founders believe this could be the next big step in reducing the amount of plastic packaging in the world thanks to the high quality of plastic packaging. aluminum can recycling percentage compared to plastic – 81% versus 52%, according to the National Packaging Waste Database.

Meadow took a typical aluminum beverage can and modified it to fit into a canister that can be equipped with all sorts of dispensing options.

So, depending on the contents, you may have a pump, a nozzle, a spray nozzle, a screw cap, or other options.

The can itself has a sealed top and creases around the edges to make it clear that the contents are not drinkable.

When the jar is empty, it can be taken out for recycling and replaced with a new one.

Aluminum can maker Ball, which already offers recyclable aluminum packaging for shampoos and lotions, has invested in Meadow and will offer the system to major personal care brands it partners with.

“We realized that the most environmentally friendly container already exists – an aluminum can. So we thought, what do we need to do to bring it to new industries?” says Victor Ljungberg, co-founder and CEO of Meadow, based in Stockholm, Sweden.

Aluminum has good recyclability; It is believed to be infinitely recyclable compared to plastic, which loses its quality after repeated recycling.

It is also lighter than glass, so transporting aluminum cans requires significantly less energy than transporting glass bottles.

The wine industry has already trialled full-size aluminum bottles, with organic brand Vinca introducing them through Tesco in March. This year Aldi also launched its own brand of wine in an aluminum bottle.

More industries are poised to make the leap as new EU rules on packaging and waste come into force in January 2030 and stipulate that all packaging must be at least 70% recyclable. By 2038, the minimum packaging recycling rate will jump to 80%.

So what can aluminum hold back?

Producing new aluminum is energy intensive. Its production requires almost twice as much energy as glass production.

Environmental Impact Calculation aluminum vs glass – it's complicated and often the best choice depends on what is supplied.

According to Mark Lansley, owner and CEO of Broadland Drinks, which supplied wine in aluminum bottles to Aldi, price is clearly a factor and another similar launch is planned for this year.

Aluminum, Mr Lansley explains, is a third lighter than glass, saving around 900 grams of CO2 emissions, but it is four times more expensive.

He admits he has taken on the extra costs with Aldi in the name of innovation, but says wider adoption of aluminum depends on lowering its cost.

“We have to overcome these costs. We need to promote the benefits and better explain aluminium's smaller carbon footprint,” says Mr Lansley.

Consumers will also have to adapt to the appearance of packaging.

Mr Lansley says the wine industry has already solved this problem with the introduction of screw caps, but when it comes to packaging, there are situations where only a glass wine bottle will do.

“Aluminum bottles are lighter and won’t break, so they’re much better for picnics or poolside. But there are traditions and what people are used to.

“You can open a bottle of wine to celebrate with friends or as a reward and relaxation. The glass bottle of wine is an integral part of this culture,” says Mr Lansley.

Much of what consumers associate with their favorite brands was intentionally created by those brands, and changing that can also take a lot of convincing, says Jamie Stone, packaging expert at global innovation consultancy PA Consulting.

“Major brands have spent decades and invested billions in educating customers on specialty packaging – think the iconic Heinz ketchup bottle, Flash spray bottle or Kikkoman soy sauce,” said Mr Stone, who is based in London.

“It’s not easy to make shaped packaging from aluminum. This is not an easy task when shape is a key part of brand identity and consumer recognition. Think about how many everyday products, such as sauces, shampoos, dishwashing liquids or moisturizers, rely on squeezable packaging. Aluminum, being rigid, takes away that functionality.”

He adds: “In many categories, consumers want to see the product they are buying, whether it is the color of the juice, the consistency of the lotion or the thickness of the sauce. The opacity of aluminum eliminates this visual connection.”

Mark Armstrong is the design director of the creative agency Marks, which designed packaging for Starbucks. He says one of the reasons we haven't seen aluminum packaging become the norm is because manufacturers have long-established plastic packaging production lines.

Working with aluminum will require significant modification or replacement, which will be expensive. And most food-grade aluminum requires an internal lacquer or polymer coating that must also meet recyclability requirements, Mr. Armstrong adds.

“Aluminum is arguably the leader among recycled materials. But dispensing and resealing options often rely on recycled plastic material. This compromises the recycling option for consumers if it requires them to separate recyclable materials, greatly reducing the appeal,” says Mr Armstrong.

Innovation in plastic sustainability cannot be ignored either, from developing plastics that can be recycled indefinitely to biodegradable plastics.

For this reason, Jane Paramore, head of sustainable packaging at consultancy Anthesis, argues that plastic may still prove to be the packaging of choice for brands.

“Plastics continue to be well suited for many packaging applications due to their durability, inertness and design flexibility,” says Ms Paramore.