Coca-Cola Great Britain and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) GB is extending the roll out of its attached caps to 500ml plastic bottles, as part of a packaging development across its entire portfolio.
The new design, which will help improve recycling rates and prevent waste, enables the cap to stay connected to the bottle after opening, making it easier to recycle the entire package and ensure no cap gets left behind, even when on the go. The message on the bottle cap has also been changed to ‘I am attached to recycle together’.
From today, people will start to see the new attached caps design appear gradually on 500ml bottles of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke and Fanta Zero, before being rolled out across all Coca-Cola brands and pack sizes by the end of 2024.
CCEP started the changeover to attached caps on 1.5L bottles of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke and Fanta initially from its bottling plant in East Kilbride Scotland in May. The latest change to bottles will be rolled out from the business’ manufacturing site in Edmonton, North London.
All of Coca-Cola’s bottles, including the caps, have been 100% recyclable for many years but not all are being recycled due to bottle caps often being discarded and littered.
Coca-Cola said the packaging development is just one of the actions it is taking towards its commitment to a World Without Waste, which will also see the company help collect and recycle a bottle or can for every one that it sells by 2025.
“This small but significant change helps to ensure that when consumers recycle our bottles, the caps stay attached and don’t get left behind as litter,” Stephen Moorhouse, vice president and general manager at CCEP GB, said.
“We know consumers in Great Britain want to dispose of packaging in the right way, and we want to help them do that. We’re pleased to share this change, and we will continue to innovate and create more sustainable ways to enjoy our products.
“We are proud to be leading the industry in Great Britain, with production of the new attached caps to our plastic bottles taking place right here in Edmonton, following £42 in investment into the site since 2017.”
Luxury single-origin dark chocolate brand, Cox & Co, has created the perfect mini treat for dark chocolate fans with the launch of its new 15g bar selection.
Providing bite-sized versions of its most popular flavours, the new 15g bars are available in four delicious flavours; Miso & Caramel (47 per cent), Blood Orange Crunch (60 per cent), Mint Crunch (60 per cent) and Plain Milk (41 per cent) and are perfect for retailers looking for high quality grab and go sweet treats.
Cox & Co’s chocolate bars are crafted from the finest single-origin Colombian cacao, using Luker Chocolate blended with delicious superfoods to create unique flavour combinations.
“We launched a smaller version (25g) of our luxury dark chocolate bars earlier this year and found them really popular with customers, so we decided to create a bite-sized bar, perfect for those looking for a quick sweet treat whilst on-the-go,” explains Gavin Cox, Founder of Cox & Co.
Targeting eco-conscious chocolate lovers, Cox & Co. is launching the new 15g range in its innovative paper flow wrapper, helping to reduce the huge amount of confectionery packaging waste that currently ends up in landfill, or contaminates current recycling.
“We are phasing out our current wood-pulp based, home compostable wrapping, in favour of new paper flow wrappers,” continues Gavin. “There is a demand for confectionery that doesn’t make customers choose between being ethical or enjoying an indulgent treat and our new mini bars place equal importance on both.”
Cox & Co’s mission is to create delicious chocolate that is truly different, made with care and sustainability in mind. Working with Colombia’s Luker Chocolate estate, Cox & Co invest in farmers, communities and sustainable farming methods to produce chocolate that’s as ethical as possible.
Cox & Co’s new 15g chocolate bars are available to all retailers. Wholesale price 70p per bar, RRP £1.25.
Casillero del Diablo (#1 Chilean brand and the UK’s #3 wine brand overall) has announced the launch of Casillero del Diablo Zero, a gently dealcoholized wine, in response to growing consumer demand for options for those moderating or cutting out alcohol from their lives.
Following extensive trials headed by winemaker Max Weinlaub, the brand has produced a dealcoholized sparkling which they feel more than meets the quality and drinkability standards that wine lovers expect from Casillero del Diablo. It is made with 100 per cent Chardonnay grapes from the Central Valley, early harvested for freshness, and contains a mere 22 calories per 125ml glass.
“We’re so pleased to launch this new Casillero del Diablo bottling, in the run-up to the festive season when many people will be looking for a quality non-alcoholic alternative," said Brands Controller at CyT UK, Claire Raine. "Our team has worked really hard to produce a sparkling which is worthy of the brand and the style. We’re delighted with the result.
“Almost two thirds of British adults either limit their alcohol consumption, or do not drink alcohol. These trends are being led primarily by younger adults, and we want to make sure we stay relevant and important to everyone. Consumers are now getting used to seeing no/lo options from their favourite drinks brands.”
Sales figures bear this out, with No/ Lo category volume sales projected to rise by 19.3 per cent in 2024. (Mintel). Casillero del Diablo Zero – a year in the making, after multiple trials with the clear goal to mimic a full alcohol Prosecco-style wine – launches in December 2024, RRP £6. It will be available via several UK wholesalers and in independent retail.
Kopparberg, a partner of Budweiser Brewing Group, has announced its latest product, Crisp Apple, expanding its listing with the 4% ABV beverage that taps into the evolving tastes of cider drinkers.
Kopparberg Crisp Apple offers drinkers the much-loved taste of a classic apple cider, balanced with a slightly sweeter profile that the brand is famous for. Whilst apple cider is seeing a resurgence, particularly amongst younger drinkers, Kopparberg, the brand with more 18-34 year old drinkers than any other beer or cider brand [Savanta, 2023] is perfectly placed to bring its cider expertise to the evolving category.
In addition to creating an offering that meets growing consumer demands, this new product aims to attract new a audience and offer an alternative to the more traditional cider brands already on offer.
Whilst Kopparberg has continued to increase its share across both the on and off trade since 2023, Crisp Apple offers drinkers the opportunity to try a modern apple cider, from a brand that consistently delivers on taste and refreshment. Consumers will be able to get their hands on the new product on draught, bottle and can, across both the on and off trade, giving drinkers the chance to consume the product in their preferred format.
“Taste spearheads everything we do at Kopparberg and there is no brand that understands younger drinkers better than we do. With a growing demand for modern apple ciders, we are thrilled to be able to bring Kopparberg Crisp Apple to market in 2025, to ensure that drinkers can access the products they want, from the brands they love,” Peter Bronsman, founder, Kopparberg, said.
Brian Perkins, president, Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, added: “Kopparberg’s ability to meet evolving consumer tastes with new flavours is a key reason behind it being the leading brand in fruit cider in the UK. With the rise in apple cider as a preferred choice in the category, the product will not only attract existing fans, but also build new brand fans. We’re confident it will be a big hit across both the on and off trade and we look forward to seeing the reaction.”
Kopparberg Crisp Apple will be available in on trade from January 2025 and the off trade from March 2025.
Vape firm Riot Labs has jumped onto the Wrexham AFC Hollywood success story by sponsoring the lowly Norfolk Isthmian league Wroxham FC to share their story of how they missed out on star-studded investment by just ‘one letter’.
Wroxham FC, the non-league football club who claim they missed out on celebrity owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney by just ONE letter, have gone viral after a staggered release of their three-part documentary sharing their unique story.
Riot Labs' campaign garnered the attention of international media, featuring on BBC Breakfast and even across the pond on ESPN - the makers of the original Welcome to Wrexham, who also posted the story to their 15 million followers on X.
It’s a story the club have wanted to tell for over three years, finally made possible thanks to new club sponsor, Riot Labs, who have invested in the club as part of a drive to help non-league football fans quit smoking.
As part of the deal with Riot Labs, the club has declared their iconic 50-person Kenny Cooke stand behind the goal “smokefree” for the rest of the season to encourage fans to kick the habit, leveraging the community spirit and perseverance in grassroot football clubs to reflect the journey of a smoker quitting.
Riot Labs have also led an on the ground activation at the ground with their Riot Rehab programme to educate and provide samples of alternatives to smoking directly to fans.
The club released the trailer and series, aptly named, Welcome to Wroxham - and have since racked up close to a million views across social media, garnering thousands of comments from football fans, including many from Wrexham.
The series features wholesome characters from the Norfolk-based football club, including tireless cigar smoking 78 year-old Head Groundsman, Barry Letten, and club Chairman, James Blowers.
Riot led a guerilla marketing campaign by ‘accidentally’ plastering all the promotion for Welcome to Wroxham outside the Wrexham AFC stadium… in Wales!
“It’s simply a great story that had to be told,” Ben Johnson, Riot Labs CEO, commented.
We're always looking for new ways to help people quit smoking, and non-league football is a great audience to target. To be able to support the club and give them the platform and investment to share their unique story is an honour and the reaction has been brilliant - we hope it helps them attract future sponsors, and maybe even Hollywood owners of their own.”
Natural energy drink brand TENZING has launched its first Christmas ad campaign – calling for the return of the original Santa Claus. The 60-second video looks at the changing physique of Father Christmas having signed a sponsorship deal with a famous sugary drink brand over 100 years ago.
The jolly character, depicted as he’s now known, did not always sport a round belly and bursting belt. Back in the day he was slim and strong, a powerhouse of festive energy – hauling trees and presents himself. No sleigh, no reindeer, and definitely no truck. In the video, we see Santa having to make a decision; continue with the cash or opt for a healthier alternative. The ad ends with the return of the original Santa, half the man, fuelled with double the energy having chosen to drink TENZING.
The Christmas campaign has been launched in support of the brand’s latest launch – Fiery Mango, which is the first energy drink of its kind created specifically for the winter months. Unlike Santa’s current soft drink of choice, this innovative new recipe is 100 per cent plant-based and boasts a powerful combination of natural ingredients from Vitamin D and C to Magnesium and Lion's Mane. It would be perfect for fuelling Santa over the festive period when vitamin D levels, energy levels, mood and immunity are all notoriously low. It’s the clean, natural energy he needs to power his sleigh the way he used to – no truck required.
The advert is launching with Lad Bible, Google and TikTok today