To position a drink in the market, it is essential to choose the ideal material for the packaging of your product. Finally, this factor influences the consumer experience, which ranges from the quality of the drink to the customization of your packaging. To achieve this, in recent years, the beverage industry has decided to focus on three types of packaging and marketing materials: soft drinks, juice, water, etc.
The three main options for making beverage containers are PET, aluminum, and glass. Each material has strengths and drawbacks, however, the industry leans heavily towards plastic. Don't worry, here we explain everything you need to know to find out which material is the best option for packaging your drinks.
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
Better known as PET by its name in English (polyethylene terephthalate), it is one of the most used materials to make plastic containers and bottles. This type of material is characterized by being crystalline, light, flexible, and very resistant. It is a linear polymer that can be processed in different ways for a large number of uses due to its multiple qualities.
A very interesting feature that few people know about (because they associate plastic with something harmful) is that PET beverage containers are 100% recyclable. Furthermore, manufacturing this material requires less energy and water compared to aluminum and glass. It has also been shown to have a lower carbon footprint compared to the other materials already mentioned.
Aluminum
Aluminum is widely used in the beverage industry to make cans. This material contains a polymer that is responsible for absorbing the sweet taste of the drink. Different brands of beer and soft drinks use aluminum to pack their drinks, even though it is an expensive material that is harmful to the environment.
To manufacture it, it is necessary to extract the bauxite rock, it is at this time that the devastation of ecosystems, and air and water pollution is more intense. The resources used for this task leave an indelible mark.
Glass
To make glass, silica sand, sodium carbonate, and limestone are required, these three elements, among others, must be melted at high temperatures in a furnace. This material is often chosen as a packaging material for its recyclable, reusable qualities.
In the case of glass bottles, these have a composition that does not alter the taste of the drink. However, it is difficult to transport due to its weight, and therefore it is more expensive to pay for it due to fuel costs. Consequently, although many companies continue to choose this option, most decided to replace them with plastic or aluminum.
Although glass and aluminum offer multiple benefits for containers, PET is an innovative material that will facilitate your path to position the beverage in the market. If you are interested in acquiring a light, resistant, and 100% recyclable beverage containers, do not hesitate to contact us.
