Canifesto, a new campaign by RTD brands to promote the use of aluminium beverage cans

Canifesto, a new campaign to promote the use of aluminium beverage cans, has been started by five ready-to-drink (RTD) brands to disprove the notion that customers don't prefer drinking from cans by highlighting their environmental friendliness. The Canifesto, an open letter highlighting the benefits of aluminium cans like minimization of waste, lower expenses, and free up time for the hospitality stage, has been launched by The Uncommon, Jukes, MOTH Beverages, Longbottom, and TRIP. The open letter uses market data supporting sustainability to persuade hospitality leaders of the benefits of the can.

"Cans help us significantly reduce road miles and carbon emissions. For our customers, serving from an RTD (ready-to-drink) can support speed of service, where access to quality drinks like Longbottom, means you don't compromise on taste in the process," said Angela Ham, agency manager at C&C Group.

For instance, a study by Systembolaget, a government-owned network of liquor outlets in Sweden, indicated that substituting three 250ml aluminium cans for a 75cl glass bottle may reduce CO2e emissions by 79 per cent. In addition, the survey noted that aluminium is more readily and indefinitely recyclable, with 75 per cent of all aluminium produced still in use today.

Also, with a 71 per cent recycling rate, aluminium cans are the most recycled beverage containers globally, according to The International Aluminium Institute. PET is 40 per cent, while glass is 34 per cent. Businesses can store aluminium cans more easily than bottles because cans can use up to 40 per cent more room in refrigerators.

"We are dedicated to supporting our on-trade partners, and the can helps us to work with them to reduce waste, energy and time whilst providing a delicious cocktail that elevates the customer's experience. An example is in a recent Greenhouse Gas Analysis commissioned by Moth; we found that in scenarios with a garnish, our Espresso Martini and Margarita had 30.64% and 14.06% less GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions, respectively, per drink in the Moth canned cocktail compared to making the drink from scratch," said Sam Hunt, co-founder of Moth Drinks.

Regarding quality, the letter informs the sector that aluminium cans are coated with a water-based polymer that forbids any contact with the metal, ensuring no impact on flavour whatsoever. Many on-trade partners, including Berners Tavern, are pioneering the initiative by switching to cans for environmental reasons.