Sustainable Specjal bottle from Ardagh

Ardagh Group has created a new, sustainable 500ml glass bottle for the popular Polish ‘Specjal’ beer brand from the Żywiec Group. The new bottle, together with a refreshed label design, not only emphasises the local character of the beer but is also more environmentally friendly.

The Specjal brand places great emphasis on the importance of regionality, including local traditions and cooperation with suppliers, all in the region of Elblag. Hence, new icons have been incorporated into the labelling, depicting the Elblag Specjal Brewery, the Malthouse, the local barley used in the beer, the printing and engraving of the signature of local brewers and the City’s coat of arms.

The new bottle has a unique shape and characteristic engraving on the glass. “This is an important element of the brand for us, which makes us visually different from other beers on the shelf. Its shape also emphasises the uniqueness and regionality of ‘Specjal’, and though we’ve refreshed the labelling, it is still dominated by black and gold, the characteristic colours of this brand” says Barbara Rychel, Specjal Brand Manager.

The returnable bottle is 10g lighter than its previous design – an important pro-environmental move that’s in line with the Friends of Glass educational campaigns on sustainable packaging.

Barbara Maciałczyk, Marketing Manager at Ardagh Group comments: “A 10g reduction may seem subtle, but in terms of the entire distribution, it’s a significant weight reduction that translates into reduced CO₂ emissions and overall carbon footprint. It’s been great to work on another project with the Żywiec Group, as we share the same positive views on sustainability.”