New stable 50% rPET returnable bottle from Gerolsteiner
German mineral water producer Gerolsteiner will introduce a further developed 1-litre PET returnable bottle for mineral water from mid-January 2026. The new model is intended to gradually replace the previous version.
According to the company, the new 1-litre PET returnable bottle is more stable than its predecessor and can therefore be refilled up to 25 times – significantly more often than the existing container. The increased robustness and stability are achieved through a redesigned base: a champagne base replaces the previous four-foot base. In addition, material usage has been slightly increased. The bottle now weighs 62g instead of 48g, contributing to a longer service life.
The new 1-litre container contains 50% rPET. Based on current calculations, Gerolsteiner expects the new bottle to save around 1,900 t/a of CO₂, representing more than one third lower emissions compared with the previous bottle.
The basic design and dimensions of the bottle (height, diameter, label area, closure) remain unchanged, allowing the existing crate to be retained and both containers to be sold in parallel for a period of time. Article numbers will also remain the same. According to the company, the Gerolsteiner 1-litre PET returnable bottle pool is so large that a complete changeover on a fixed date would neither be feasible nor sensible from a sustainability perspective. Many of the existing PET returnable bottles are still in good condition and are therefore to be used throughout their full life cycle, says Gerolsteiner. As a result, both bottle versions are expected to be available together in the Gerolsteiner 12 × 1-litre PET returnable crate for a period of approximately two to three years.
Gerolsteiner pursues a diversified packaging strategy and offers its products in glass and PET returnable bottles as well as in PET single-use bottles. Returnable packaging plays an important role for the mineral water producer, with 70% of the company’s sales accounted for by glass and PET returnable containers.
Photo: Compared with the previous 1-litre PET returnable bottle, the new stable version is claimed to save more than one third of CO₂ emissions per year and can be refilled up to 25 times (photo: Gerolsteiner Brunnen)