Müller to entirely phase out coloured milk bottle caps by next summer

The dairy giant said it aimed to convert its whole range – consisting of both own label and branded milk – by next summer and had already started the process.

In a phased approach (which started in November and will complete in December) the supplier is currently converting all green semi-skimmed milk – its most popular line – to clear caps.

All other coloured caps will be converted by summer 2023, with Müller also “continuing to investigate ways to add recycled content into the caps”, it said.

While Müller’s milk bottles, which are manufactured in-house, are fully recyclable and made of at least 30% recycled material (rHDPE), the coloured caps cannot currently be recycled back into food grade packaging.

Introducing clear caps would enable the retention of the material for reuse within the food sector, Müller said. And given how demand for rHDPE was currently outstripping supply, the move to a “closed loop system” was expected to increase the material’s availability on the market by 1,560 tonnes a year – further reducing requirements for virgin plastic.

The Grocer