The country's leading brewer of premium bottled ales, Marston's, has introduced smaller bottle sizes to satisfy consumers' growing love affair with high quality bottled ales. Recently published research from the brewer confirms the continued premiumisation of the ale market, with 135,000 new Shoppers recruited to the sector in 2010. The company has launched two new 330ml glass bottles, designed and made by O-I. The new sizes, for Wychwood and Marston's ales, mirror the shapes of the brands' well-known half-litre bottles and will be available in both on and off trade outlets. The Wychwood bottle is embossed with the familiar Hobgoblin around the shoulder, while the Marston's bottle is unembossed, providing the brewer with the flexibility it needs to pack a variety of different brands in the same bottle. Volume sales of premium bottled ales grew by nearly 4% in 2010 but, despite the growth in home drinking, sales of ale in the off-trade are still under performing on-trade sales by nearly 3:1. Marstons believe the 330ml multipack is one way of bridging this gap as it offers more availability of great tasting ale brands a the sub-£5 price point. O-I designers developed both new bottles within tight parameters. Both are made at 218g, and to the same height and diameter to ease filling changeover times.
