This article was first published on Convenience & Impulse Retailing, authored by Tom Oakley-Newell

Pura has reduced the plastic used to produce its 2-litre milk bottles in South Australia by one gram, thus removing eight tonnes of plastic annually from circulation.

The reduction of plastic from milk bottles in South Australia now aligns it with the Pura milk bottles manufactured in other states, with the reduced plastic ‘Better Bottles’ now applicable to all variants, including Full Cream, Light Start, Lactose-Free Full Cream, Lactose-Free Light Start, and Skimmer in the 2L bottles range.

Mary Stafford, Head of Marketing White Milk at Bega Dairy and Drinks, said the initiative ‘Choose a Better Bottle’ is part of the company’s commitment to making real change wherever possible.

“As a responsible and forward-thinking organization, we are constantly working on ways to reduce plastic waste and help protect our environment. The Better Bottle results from our commitment to sustainability and is designed to minimize our ecological footprint. Reducing the amount of plastic in milk bottles reduces plastic pollution and carbon emissions, which has a positive impact on wildlife and marine ecosystems, and overall environmental health.”

Across South Australia, 75,000 of the new lighter bottles will include bottleneck tags containing plantable seed sticks available at Coles and Foodland, featuring seed varieties such as Poppy, Everlasting Daisy, Basil, or Lettuce.

“We want to encourage customers to repurpose their milk bottle as a plantar and watch the herbs or flowers grow. With our customers’ combined effort and support, we can plant the seed of change for a bright future.”