France: Danone unveils wrap-free Evian water multipack

Danone, the French dairy and non-alcoholic drinks multinational, is set to launch a new version of its Evian water multipacks that are collated using glue rather than a shrink wrap, according to a report in LSA.

Developed in collaboration with packaging firm KHS, the new pack is said to have required 24 months of development and a specially-adapted production line. It is described as tackling the numerous issues associated with conventional shrink wrap methods of collation, including the difficulty in opening the packaging, the detrimental aesthetic impact and the additional plastic waste.

Commenting on the launch, Danone Waters France managing director Cécile Beliot-Zind said: "The bottles are held together by glue applied to numerous parts of the packaging. It took months of research to find the right glue and work out the right amount needed to keep the bottles intact for transportation, but also to enable the consumer to easily separate them when needed".

The new 4 x 1.25 l Evian multipacks will go on sale initially in Monoprix stores from March, at an RRP of €3.85, before a wider rollout in September.

Source: LSA