The Co-operative has switched to lighter-weight bottles for its own-brand ales, which it claims will save over 130/t glass & 90/t carbon emissions/pa. The retailer's own-label ales include Fairtrade Bumble Bee Honey Ale, Organic Fairtrade Premium Ale & Goldminer Ale produced by the Freeminer microbrewery in the Forest of Dean. OI is manufacturing the new 500ml bottles that, at 300g are 22% lighter than the previous versions. The Co-op's range also includes an Extra Strong Ale produced by Daniel Thwaites of Blackburn, which will be available in the lighter bottle in the near future. As part of the relaunch, the bottles will also carry new labels that will be complete by the end of September. The lightweighting initiative follows the publication of the retailer's Food Ethical Policy earlier this year, based on the world's largest consumer poll on ethics.
