Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) has worked with its project partners to make its aluminium drinks cans five per cent lighter. A new report published today by WRAP states that the new can design will save 15,000 tonnes of aluminium across the EU each year. To date, 6.5bn light-weighted cans have been produced and distributed. Over 15bn of the redesigned cans are to be produced in Europe next year.
These changes to the can manufacturing industry were initiated by WRAP and CCE led the technical development of the can. The new design was extensively tested in the UK at CCE manufacturing sites, supported by WRAP, and in conjunction with Beverage Can Makers Europe (BCME).
CCE states that this is the first time the body of the can has been light-weighted in the EU - previous weight reductions related to the base of the can. As a result, the body of the new can is 0.097mm wide - about the width of a human hair. According to CCE, the detailed scientific analysis of the can specification facilitates accurate prediction of the impact of proposed changes to can design, ensuring that the new can design has the required strength properties. The full WRAP report on the project is published in the Case Studies & Research section at www.wrap.org.uk/retail .
The new can development
