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German machine builder KHS Group and Austrian-based packaging leader (which has 181 production facilities in 46 countries, including 17 U.S. plants) have collaborated in developing a 1 L returnable PET bottle that is said to be unusually light and also contains 35% post-consumer recycled resin. The new bottle weighs 55 g, or 10 g less than the average for returnable PET bottles of this size, according to KHS. Using up to 50% recycle is also feasible for some brands, the company states, adding that the bottle “is suitable for all types of beverage in the returnable container segment,” including both carbonated and noncarbonated drinks.

Sources at major PET resin producers say there is a strong market for refillable PET bottles in Mexico and some parts of South America, and it is growing faster than the market for one-way PET bottles. However, the total usage of refillable PET bottles in the Americas is less than 1% of the regional total. Infrastructure for returning, cleaning and refilling PET bottles is not in place in North America. In Europe, Germany is said to be the main user of refillable PET bottles. They are not a significant factor in the UK, France, Spain and Benelux countries.

Refillable bottles weigh considerably more than one-way PET bottles. For example, a one-way 2 L carbonated soft-drink bottle today weighs around 45 g and a 1.5 L CSD bottle weighs 24 g. Even a 64-oz hot-fill PET bottle is down to 59 g.