GUNNA Drinks reaps benefits from transition to infinitely recyclable aluminum packaging

GUNNA Drinks, one of the big players in the soft drinks market, has seen colossal success in business since they changed the packaging of immunity-boosting lemonade drinks from plastic to infinitely recyclable aluminium.

As per the report, the brand has experienced a threefold rise in cash sales, which indicates a substantial market for sustainable aluminium packaging over single-use plastic bottles.

Success has come following the widespread distribution of GUNNA Drinks’ Raspberry Lemonade 470 ml bottles and GUNNA Tropical Lemonade 470 ml bottles, growing from 77 to 134 stores and from 26 to 117 stores, respectively.

In October 2023, Gunna Drinks shelved its new aluminium-bottled lemonades in co-operative stores across the Mid Counties of the United Kingdom. From October 1, consumers could buy the drinks packed in aluminium bottles.

Besides the increase in distribution points, GUNNA Drinks has also secured a front-row position on retail shelves because of its alluring appeal and outstanding demand.

GUNNA decided to switch to aluminium packaging because approximately 76 per cent of all aluminium produced in the UK is recycled and reused, compared to only 16 per cent of plastic.

Melvin Jay, founder of GUNNA Drinks, said: “We’re thrilled with the performance of our aluminium bottles in Midcounties Co-op stores. This success proves what we’ve long believed based on consumer research — that shoppers are keen to make sustainable switches when a brand makes it simple for them and also delivers on taste and healthiness. The 1.8-fold increase in the rate of sale that we’ve seen compared to our cans clearly indicates that consumers are actively seeking easy-to-make eco-friendly swaps for plastic bottles.”

He continued: “Midcounties Co-op is truly leading the way yet again. They are the first UK retailer to list our aluminium bottles, showcasing their commitment to sustainability. The UK’s plastic recycling statistics are alarming – only 44% of our plastic waste is collected for recycling, and of that, a mere 16% actually gets recycled into something new. The other 84% is incinerated, releasing CO2, or goes to landfill or is dumped into the environment. Let’s not kid ourselves; for many reasons, it’s impossible to fix the plastic waste problem with recycling alone. The solution has to be for our industry to show leadership by offering consumers more eco-friendly packaging options. We’re proud to partner with forward-thinking retailers like Midcounties Co-op, who are helping shoppers easily switch from single-use plastic to infinitely recyclable aluminium. Together, we’re working to make planet-friendly drinks the new normal.”