Awareness raising campaign accompanies new law on packaging
The Federal Environment Ministry (BMUB) is stepping up its efforts to inform consumers about the environmental benefits of reusable packaging for drinks. Starting today, the ministry has a video spot available online that cleverly shows how much waste can be prevented when consumers choose reusable bottles. The campaign website, www.volle-pulle-umweltschutz.de (German), explains the benefits and characteristics of reusable bottles in a clear and straightforward way.
The starring role in the spot, entitled "One-way or reusable: moment of decision", is played by a specially modified drink vending machine that allows users to choose whether they would like a drink in a one-way or reusable bottle. The machine has a surprise in store for consumers who choose one-way packaging. The spot is available here:
The reason for the campaign: for a number of types of drink, the share of reusable bottles and other ecologically beneficial packaging was on the decline; in 2004, 70 percent of drinks were in reusable packaging, in 2014 it was only 46.1 percent. Beer is the sole exception. Due to the compulsory deposits on one-way bottles, 80 percent of drinks in this sector were sold in reusable bottles. Now it is time to reverse the trend for all drinks.
The benefits of reusable packaging over one-way packaging are clear; reusable bottles prevent waste, save energy, lower production costs and save natural resources. The campaign illustrates this.
With the new law on packaging in place, the BMUB intends to push even more strongly for reusable packaging. The legislation envisions specific steps for this. For example, in future, retailers will clearly label shelves to show where drinks in reusable and one-way bottles can be found. This makes the difference clear at a glance. In addition, the one-way deposit is being extended to include additional drinks such as sparkling fruit drinks.