Chivas Brothers — a Scotch whisky business of Pernod Ricard with an award-winning portfolio — collaborated with its long-standing partner, Smurfit Kappa Composites, on a tube packaging system for a new brand, Ballantine’s Single Mal, that would both support its marketing and protect the product from damage during transit to sensitive markets.

Smurfit Kappa developed a vacform tray that holds each tube securely, protecting it during movement. The tray met Chivas Brothers’ requirements and ensured a successful launch, with products arriving on the shelf in reportedly perfect condition.

Pernod Ricard sustainability targets aim to remove single-use plastics by 2025. Improving the Ballantine’s Single Malt packaging was an ideal way to contribute towards that ambition.

The plastic vacform tray was replaced with a recycled fibre-based divider and top pad, which was developed with colleagues at Smurfit Kappa Lokfast (divisions specialists). As a result, all the Ballantine’s Single Malt packaging is now 100% fibre-based and fully recyclable.

Because of the fibre-based update, approximately 600kg of single-use plastic was removed from Chivas Brothers’ supply chain. Not only is this helping the company meet its sustainability goals, but it also helps to avoid the implications of the forthcoming Plastic Packaging Tax.

This is yet another example of Smurfit Kappa’s Better Planet Packaging initiative in action. The initiative uses our industry-leading expertise in sustainable materials, packaging design and recycling to develop more environmentally friendly packaging solutions for our customers, our planet and ourselves.

‘‘We are delighted with the solution of fibre based divider and top pad, not only does it contribute to our desire to remove plastic from our supply chain but it also allows us to increase the speed that we run our line at,’’ says Jennifer Halley, packaging engineer at Chivas Brothers. 

The Plastic Packaging Tax comes into force in April 2022, when a levy of £200 per metric tonne will apply to packaging that contains less than 30% recycled plastic. 

Visit smurfitkappa.com for more information.