IN response to a growing trend of brands consolidating their packaging, while still demanding a premium on-shelf appearance, UK-based glass manufacturer Beatson Clark has expanded its general sale range with a newly optimised selection of lightweighted food jars.
The company’s popular panelled jars have been redesigned as part of its new Optima lightweight range, which it explained uses less glass without compromising on ‘strength, durability or visual appeal’.
To give brands even greater flexibility, Beatson Clark’s design team has also created a deep twist off (DTO) neck finish version of each lightweighted jar, providing the ‘premium’ closure many brand owners prefer, while ensuring the designs remain carefully weight optimised.
“We decided to create these jars as we have witnessed a resurgence in the popularity of the deep neck finish,” Charlotte Pike, Beatson Clark’s marketing manager, told Packaging Scotland. “Brands increasingly want to premiumise their products to appeal to a new demographic, but they will always have one eye on cost; for this reason, food manufacturers are increasingly choosing containers from our standard range, rather than commissioning a bespoke design.
“Because of the new fees brought in by the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, and with sustainability always foremost in our minds, we’ve taken the opportunity to lightweight these containers.
“We’ve optimised the weight, removing up to 17g from each jar, while adding to the height of the overall profile of the container.
“The deep twist off neck closure has always had a premium feel to it and has often been used for more luxury products, such as cosmetics and artisan food brands due to its sleek, modern look.”
Retailers including Marks & Spencer have become well known for their range of own label food products in jars with a deep twist off neck finish.
Beatson Clark revealed that the deep closures are a hallmark of premium packaging, offering a luxury look that mimics the heavy, substantial feel that consumers associate with higher-priced, quality products.
The Panelled Jar range features wide openings designed to make products easier for consumers to access, helping to reduce waste and improve overall usability.
With label space at a premium due to growing legal and regulatory requirements, Beatson Clark added that it has lightweighted this range while preserving the full label panel, allowing brands to keep their existing artwork without compromise.
For brands seeking an additional premium touch, the new range can be enhanced with spray coatings. Frosted finishes, in particular, remain highly sought after in the premium food industry for their refined, modern look.
The frosted effect has been certified by CIRCPACK as 100% recyclable.
Beatson Clark launched its in-house spray decoration service in 2024 and offers a variety of paint colours and finishes. The company’s new dedicated spray plant can decorate glass containers in an array of colours, textures and effects, from gloss and matt to vignette and metallic.
The firm can colour-match an existing bottle or Pantone reference or work with brands to create a unique shade or effect. Beatson Clark can manufacture and spray its own bottles and jars, and also spray glass containers provided by the customer, subject to suitability.
“It’s important to remember that premiumisation trends are not just about the visual appeal of the jar,” Charlotte explained. “Brands are also looking for sustainable packaging, and lightweighting our containers is one way to achieve this.
“Our new Optima range has been developed through careful lightweighting of several popular lines across all our product sectors, ensuring that we maintain the same strength and quality while optimising material use. This approach not only helps lower EPR obligations for our customers but also reduces the overall environmental footprint of our packaging. This is an ongoing initiative, and we will continue to expand our Optima range in the coming months.”
