Absolut Vodka Tests Paper-Based Cap And Bottle Duo

The cap has been designed in collaboration with Blue Ocean Closures (BOC), a Swedish start-up that has formed a pioneer community to reduce plastic use through fibre packaging innovation.

The bottle and cap completed its first trial at an event in May, being put to the test by a community of bartenders, the Pernod Ricard subsidiary said in a statement.

The pilot was conducted at the ‘Absolut The Map’ event with focus on evaluating the functionality of the cap in ‘real-life’ situations.

Lars Sandberg, CEO at Blue Ocean Closures commented, “We are proud to partner with Absolut Vodka, a leader when it comes to packaging innovation, in bringing the paper-based cap to life.

“Real change must be a collective effort, and we are excited to learn from the feedback received by bartenders attending this trial.”

Absolut Paper

In 2023, the vodka giant launched ‘Absolut Paper’ in collaboration with Paboco (Paper Bottle Company) and successfully trialled the single-mould paper-based bottles at select Tesco stores in the UK.

Louise Werner, director of future packaging at Absolut, explained, “2023 saw the development of the Absolut paper-based bottle, a pioneering initiative that helped us push boundaries towards our fully bio-based bottle.

“However, the final piece of the puzzle remained. Creating real impact is hard and change can only come about as a collective endeavour so we are thrilled to partner with Blue Ocean Closures to help us on the journey.”

Paper-Based Cap

The cap features an innovative design that combines more than 95% FSC-certified fibres with a thin top-seal barrier made of plastic.

In due course, Absolut aims to replace the plastic in the cap with a bio-based material to switch entirely to renewable materials.

The cap will be recyclable as paper in markets that have recycling systems in place that can separate paper from other materials.

The paper-based cap is part of Pernod Ricard’s Future of Packaging initiative, which seeks to encourage consumers and brands to offer more conscious choices around the packaging of spirits.

The next steps on the development journey will involve further quality testing, followed by a limited in-market trial.

Noémie Bauer, chief sustainability officer at Pernod Ricard, said, “This new step into the future of packaging highlights our ongoing commitment to shifting the dial towards minimising the impact of our products and being transparent about this process – the trials and the achievements.

“We are hoping to inspire progress across the wider drinks ecosystem, pushing us further towards a more sustainable future.”