Anirudh Kota, Labatt General Manager for Atlantic Canada.
The longtime Labatt Brewery in St. John’s is the latest to phase out and ultimately eliminate those environmentally unfriendly plastic rings that hold six and eight-pack cans together.
Switching to paperboard and installing the new packaging system is costing $10.5 million, and will remove an estimated 24,000 kilograms of plastic from the landfill each year.
Officials demonstrated the new system for officials and media today during a tour at Labatt’s Leslie Street facility.
New beer cases being locked and loaded, so to speak, as part of Labatt’s new packaging system which eliminates environmentally unfriendly plastic rings. pic.twitter.com/JlS8iIKYU8
— VOCM News (@VOCMNEWS) November 17, 2023
The investment is projected to further cut Labatt’s single-use and recyclable plastics by a total of 242,000 kilograms by the end of next year.
Bottles will continue to be available in six, 12 and 24 packs while cans will come in packs of eight, 12 and 24.
Officials say customers may still see some plastic rings in stores for a few weeks as the existing stock is sold off.
Labatt has been brewing beer on Leslie Street since 1962 when it bought the Bavarian Brewing Company.
The local brewery produces 14 beer brands including its biggest seller, Michelob Ultra, and popular local brands such as Blue Star and Jockey Club.