The company is working with returnable bottle infrastructure start-up firm Again, which sort and clean the used bottles that are collected from the pubs as part of Greene King’s existing delivery and collection transport system.
Across the summer, 22 Greene King pubs in the north-west of England joined the trial scheme to return more glass bottles, including beer, cider, spirits, wine and soft drinks bottles, for reuse and refill. Previously, these had been recycled.
The business estimated between 14,000 and 22,000 bottles a week will be collected from the 22 pubs.
Business innovation
More than a quarter (27%) of these will be reused immediately and over half (55%) will be reused by the end of the year.
Greene King supply chain director Vance Fairman-Smith said: “Our partnership with Again shows how we can tap into emerging business’s innovative ways to help us and our suppliers reduce waste.
“Every glass bottle we can reuse through collection then specialist cleaning and refilling, reduces waste and carbon emissions. We will continue to measure the success with this potential further roll out.”
Every bottle consumed in the hospitality industry should be returnable, according to Again CEO Matt Kennedy.
Net zero progress
He said: “Our previous trials have efficiently collected 98% of bottles from pubs. With the right technology and partnerships, refilling bottles can be economical and help to accelerate the industry’s progress towards net zero.”
Just last month (July), Greene King announced it had introduced its first super-fast electric vehicle charging facility with more hubs set to be installed in car parks this year.
Earlier this year (April), the business revealed plans to shut down operations at its Bury St Edmunds brewery after 200 years and to invest £40m into the development of a new custom-built brewery as part of its sustainability goals.
