CIDER maker Brothers Drinks Co. has teamed up with Avery Dennison and Multi-Color Corporation (MCC) to create a clear route for recycling of PET label backing, in a ‘never-before seen’ in the UK scheme.
After two years of research and development, Brothers Drinks Co. is said to be the first cider maker in the UK to be successfully recycling the PET backing from labels on a mass scale.
Based at the Showerings Cider Mill, Shepton Mallet, Brothers Drinks Co. has partnered with label supplier Avery Dennison to create a scheme known as AD Circular. AD Circular enables used label liners from production – described as ‘notoriously difficult’ to recycle – to be reprocessed into packaging items for use in the home and in the personal care industry.
Brothers Drinks Co. has implemented AD Circular across all its sites. The liner recycling program is a collaboration across various businesses and departments and was headed up by the firm’s procurement team. The programme has been implemented through a passion for sustainability and a drive to produce real cider whilst working alongside the environment.
James Showering, procurement manager, Brothers Drinks Co., said, “As a company, we are really excited to be at the forefront of such a ground-breaking programme. Procurement has been incredibly important for every company in this process, navigating supply chain disruptions and mitigating risk.
“The development of Avery Dennison’s AD circular UK scheme is a great example of this. It demonstrates how we are influencing the wider economy to be greener and more sustainable. We wanted to establish a clear route for recycling – one in which we know where the label backing goes – and this collaboration, brought about by MCC, uses the influence of purchasing to ensure all waste from procurement is reduced and recycled. Without the drive for sustainability from us and the wider team this scheme wouldn’t have come about.”
