IRN-BRU 500ml RPET recycled bottle

As part of the company’s environmental sustainability programme, No Time To Waste, AG Barr is taking another step towards its pledge to be net zero by 2040 by rolling out 100% recycled plastic (rPET) across all 500ml Irn-Bru and Rubicon products.

The new 100% rPET packs will be available from the end of April, with the rest of the Irn-Bru and Rubicon range due to change by the end of this year.

The move is a crucial part of a wider initiative, No Time To Waste, which the company launched last year, bringing together net-zero, plastic and packaging, waste, water and sustainable sourcing workstreams.

Adrian Troy, marketing director at AG Barr, said: “We’re delighted to be announcing the next step of our No Time to Waste programme, with 100% rPET on our 500ml IRN-BRU and Rubicon products. We recognise that we have a responsibility to protect our planet and we know how important it is that we act now to try and reduce our impact on the environment.

“It has always been really important to us to make a positive contribution to society and behave responsibly as a business; respecting the environment has been a key pillar of this work.

“Sustainability is also a key issue for our consumers. 58% of consumers say that environmental issues are important to them, that’s up 5% from a 2020 study [BASIS Sustainability Report January 2022], which is encouraging to see. We want to help encourage even more consumers to be aware of the environmental impact of their purchasing decisions.”

Clear on pack labelling will help inform shoppers about the new bottle materials, and the roll out will be supported by an ongoing education programme to engage consumers on recyclability and recycling and show that, together, we can have a positive impact on the planet.