To help future proof the beer industry in New Zealand, the development of a more environmentally friendly alternative to the glass bottles currently used to package beer is recommended. The solution will combine decreasing the amount of glass used and creating a strong, shatterproof bioresin to coat the glass in, in order to increase the strength of the bottles while minimising the amount of material used.

 

Creating an environmentally friendly alternative to the current design of beer bottles will help to increase the demand and consumption of beer in New Zealand. There has been a major consumer shift towards environmentally friendly packaging and materials around the world due to the huge emphasis placed on climate change and sustainability. With a worldwide shift towards more sustainable products, environmentally friendly materials are often preferred and selected by customers over traditional materials. Therefore, creating a more sustainable bottle for beer will help solve the issue of decreasing demand for beer in New Zealand as consumers will be more willing to purchase the more sustainable product.

 

The new bottles will also help to increase revenue for producers by decreasing the cost of production. While initial implementation costs may be high due to the investigation and development required, the reduced material used in bottling the beer will decrease the cost of bottling in the long term. The new, more environmentally friendly bottles will also help to reduce pollution by the beer industry, which has the potential to decrease the cost of production through reduced taxes. 

 

This solution will also help to increase export earnings for the New Zealand beer industry. Not only will the bottles weigh less and take up a smaller amount of space, therefore decreasing export shipment costs, the environmentally friendly packaging is in keeping with the ‘clean, green’ idea of New Zealand. This positive association will both increase the international demand for New Zealand beers and help to draw tourists into the New Zealand niche craft beer market as a travel destination.

 

The final design of the beer bottle will include a much thinner layer of glass on the inside, which is coated in a layer of a shatterproof bioresin for strength purposes, as shown in the quarter cut out in Figure 6.1 and in the bird’s eye view of the body of the bottle in Figure 6.2.