Infini Bottle Solution

 

Name of Project

Infini Bottle

Aim of Project

Developing a bottle that was lighter in weight with a reduced carbon footprint, but that was still fit-for-purpose - a paradigm shift in the plastic milk bottle market.

Materials Used

HDPE & rHDPE

Brief Description

Nampak Plastics is a leading manufacturer of plastic milk bottles, currently producing around two billion bottles per year in the UK.

In response to growing environmental concerns in the dairy industry, Nampak spent four years developing a bottle that was lighter in weight with a reduced carbon footprint, but that was still fit-for-purpose. The result was the Infini bottle.

The team faced huge challenges throughout the development process. In the past, lightweighting has been achieved by simply using less material, but there is a limit to how thin the walls can be while keeping the bottle strong and robust. Extensive research and testing was conducted, and innovative design changes were made with a particular focus on minimising stretching by bringing the corners closer together.

Infini is a step forward from the standard plastic milk bottle in several ways. The most striking difference is the weight of the bottle – Infini contains up to 25% less plastic than the standard design (depending on size) - but has not compromised on strength.

The Infini bottle also has strong sustainability credentials: it currently contains 15% recycled High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) with scope to increase this further in future. If Infini replaced the current standard bottle, we would see a material reduction of approximately 16,000 tonnes of plastic per year and a carbon saving of up to 34,000 tonnes per year.

Another essential part of the development strategy was to improve the overall customer experience. The handle was moved to the corner of the bottle, rather than keeping it at the side, giving easier access when removing from the fridge. The results of independent consumer research shows that 75% of people questioned preferred Infini to the current standard bottle, particularly when made aware of its carbon saving potential.

Since its launch in early 2012, Infini has been a significant commercial success with over 250 million bottles having already been produced. It is currently stocked by major retailers including Waitrose, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s.

The bottle has also achieved widespread industry recognition. Accolades have included the 2012 International Dairy Innovation Awards for Best Dairy Packaging Innovation, the Starpack Award of Excellence and a highly coveted World Star award.

Nampak has already agreed to license Infini internationally with a partner in the Australasian market, and is now investigating further licensing opportunities

Companies Involved

Nampak Plastics Europe Ltd.
G2 Design Consultant