Coors Light Leads US Beer Brands in Eliminating Plastic Rings
Coors Light eliminates single-use plastic rings, advances sustainable beer packaging and reduces waste across North America.
Coors Light, one of America’s most popular beer brands, is taking a historic step by replacing the traditional plastic six-pack rings with sustainable, recyclable cardboard carriers. This landmark move positions Coors Light and its parent company, Molson Coors, at the forefront of the campaign against plastic pollution in the beverage industry. The shift, supported by an $85 million investment, is not only a win for environmental advocates, but also signals a major transformation in packaging standards for the entire beer market.
Why the Move Away from Plastic Six-Pack Rings?
Plastic rings, once an iconic element of beer and soda packaging, have long been criticized for their impact on the environment:
- They frequently end up in landfills or natural ecosystems, as most are not properly recycled.
- Marine animals and birds can become entangled or ingest the rings, often with fatal consequences.
- Over time, plastic rings break down into microplastics, which enter food chains and pose significant hazards to wildlife and humans alike.
Globally, it is estimated that around 18 billion pounds of plastic enter the world’s oceans each year, affecting nearly 700 marine species. Historical reports have implicated plastic rings in the deaths of up to one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals annually. While these numbers are difficult to conclusively verify, the threat posed by plastic waste to ocean life is undisputed.
The New Packaging: Cardboard Wrap Carriers
Starting in 2022 and rolling out nationwide through 2025, Coors Light’s six-packs will be packaged using fully recyclable and sustainably sourced cardboard wrap carriers. Key features include:
- Recyclable Materials: The new carriers are made from responsibly sourced cardboard, drastically minimizing environmental impact.
- Elimination of Single-Use Plastics: This packaging change is expected to save 400,000 pounds of single-use plastic waste annually from Coors Light alone.
- Consumer-Friendly Design: Cardboard carriers are sturdy and easy to handle, preserving the convenience of traditional packs.
The shift is a part of Molson Coors’ overarching commitment to package all its North American brands — more than 30 in total, including Miller Lite and Blue Moon — in plastic-free carriers by the end of 2025.
Molson Coors: A Comprehensive Sustainability Strategy
The plastic ring phase-out is only one aspect of a broader, ambitious sustainability agenda at Molson Coors. The company’s 2016–2025 sustainability targets include:
- 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging for all products by 2025.
- All plastic packaging to contain at least 30% recycled content.
- Growing barley using 10% less water and brewing beer with 22% less water.
- Restoring 3.5 billion gallons (16 billion litres) of water to watersheds.
- Reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions by 50% and supply chain emissions by 20%.
Aligned with these efforts, the elimination of plastic rings is funded by a nearly $85 million capital investment aimed at upgrading packaging lines and enabling a full transition to sustainable materials company-wide.
Quantifying the Environmental Impact
| Metric | Previous (Plastic Rings) | With New Cardboard Carriers |
|---|---|---|
| Single-Use Plastic Waste Saved Annually (Coors Light) | 0 lbs | 400,000 lbs |
| Total Single-Use Plastic Waste Saved (All Brands) | 0 lbs | 1,700,000 lbs |
| Recyclability of Packaging | Low (difficult to recycle) | High (standard paper recycling) |
| Impact on Marine Life | High | Substantially reduced |
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The Broader Issue: Plastic Pollution in the Beer Industry
The beer industry’s reliance on plastic rings is part of the broader problem of plastic pollution. While other packaging types, such as bottles and cans, also have environmental costs, plastic rings are particularly insidious due to their tendency to persist in the environment and cause direct harm to wildlife.
Despite earlier steps—such as making plastic rings degradable by EPA mandate in 1994—plastics continue to break down into microplastics, rather than truly disappearing from ecosystems. As a result, a growing segment of consumers is pushing beer brands to prioritize sustainability and rethink their packaging choices.
Industry Context: How Coors Compares to Other Beer Brands
Coors Light is not the first beer producer to trial or implement sustainable packaging:
- Carlsberg (Denmark) began replacing plastic rings with sustainable alternatives in 2018.
- Corona trialed plastic-free six-pack holders made from plant-based fibers around the same time.
- Guinness, Coors, and Budweiser (UK) have replaced plastic rings with paper carriers in several markets.
However, Coors Light is the largest U.S. beer brand to announce the total abandonment of plastic rings, setting a powerful example for the American beer market—which lags behind European counterparts in plastic ring alternatives. In the United States, Budweiser continues to package many products with plastic, signaling a need for broader industry transformation.
Consumer Response and Market Influence
Molson Coors executives emphasize that consumer demand for environmentally conscious products played a key role in the decision. Today’s beer drinkers are increasingly aware of the environmental footprint of their purchases and are more likely to support brands that share their commitment to sustainability. As Gavin Hattersley, CEO of Molson Coors, stated, “Our consumers like the thought of products they consume being environmentally friendly.”
The Plastic-Free Future Mart pop-up in Brooklyn, New York, exemplified the brand’s innovative approach to engaging consumers. The store, open for several days in March 2022, featured Coors Light products without any single-use plastics and served as a model for what a more sustainable retail future could resemble.
Challenges and Future Steps in Sustainable Beer Packaging
Transitioning to sustainable packaging isn’t without its obstacles. Beer brands need to:
- Invest in upgraded packaging machinery and retool operations.
- Ensure new materials do not compromise product quality or shelf life.
- Meet recycling and compostability standards in a variety of regions with differing waste management infrastructures.
- Navigate the higher up-front costs of eco-friendly materials.
Nevertheless, the benefits—both environmental and reputational—outweigh these challenges. With Molson Coors’ pledges and Coors Light’s bold moves, the company aims to not only meet regulatory requirements but also inspire competitors and set new industry norms.
Coors Light’s Sustainability Timeline
- 2017: Molson Coors announces a multi-year, company-wide sustainability strategy.
- 2021: Plastic rings are eliminated across major UK brands, replaced by recyclable cardboard sleeves.
- 2021 (Canada): Rollout of more sustainable plastic rings as an interim step prior to a full switch.
- 2022: Launch of fully recyclable cardboard carriers in the US, starting with Coors Light.
- 2025: Goal for all North American brands to be 100% plastic ring-free and all packaging to be compostable, recyclable, or reusable.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Why are plastic beer rings so harmful to wildlife?
A: Animals can become trapped by or swallow plastic rings, leading to injury, suffocation, or starvation. The rings can also degrade into microplastics, which enter food webs and persist in the environment.
Q: Is the new cardboard packaging as strong as plastic rings?
A: The new cardboard carriers are engineered for strength, durability, and convenience, designed to match or exceed the performance of plastic without environmental drawbacks.
Q: Will this change affect the price of Coors Light?
A: While eco-friendly materials can be more expensive, Coors Light and Molson Coors have not announced price increases related to this packaging change, emphasizing their commitment to both sustainability and value for consumers.
Q: What are other beer companies doing to reduce plastic packaging?
A: Leading global brands like Carlsberg and Corona have also introduced sustainable alternatives, such as plant-based rings and paper-based holders, but no other major U.S. beer brands have matched Coors Light’s comprehensive rollout so far.
Q: How can consumers help reduce plastic waste when buying beer?
A: Choose brands committed to sustainable packaging, recycle carriers and bottles, and support initiatives and legislation focused on reducing single-use plastics.
Key Takeaways and What’s Next
- Coors Light leads the U.S. market in eliminating plastic rings from its six-packs, paving the way for broader industry change.
- Cardboard carriers will save 400,000 pounds of plastic annually from Coors Light packaging alone, with all Molson Coors brands saving 1.7 million pounds each year.
- This transformation is rooted in consumer demand for sustainable products and a recognition of the urgent need to reduce plastic pollution.
- As the world’s second-largest beer company, Molson Coors’ actions set a benchmark for industry-wide sustainability commitments.
By reimagining how America’s most iconic beers reach consumers, Coors Light and Molson Coors are showcasing how market leaders can translate environmental responsibility into concrete action—with the potential for profound and lasting effects on the planet’s oceans, wildlife, and future generations.
References
- https://www.brightvibes.com/big-beer-brand-to-phase-out-plastic-rings-for-eco-friendly-packaging/
- https://triplepundit.com/2022/coors-light-no-plastic-rings/
- https://terrathread.com/blogs/news/this-beer-brand-is-ditching-plastic-rings
- https://plasticactioncentre.ca/news/expert-says-molson-coors-plan-to-ditch-plastic-beverage-rings-is-an-important-first-step/
- https://ir.molsoncoors.com/news/news-details/2022/Coors-Light-Eliminates-6-pack-Plastic-Rings-Globally/default.aspx
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