Whether it’s green beer bottles, jam jars, or perfume bottles, you’ve probably seen and used different types of glass containers in your life. But do you know what glass is made of, what it’s used for, and what its main features are?
There are many different reasons to choose glass – from taste preservation to health benefits – and in this article, we’ll highlight a few to consider when choosing the right packaging for you.
Why choose glass?
Taste
Have you ever noticed that food and drinks taste differently in glass? Well, there’s a reason for that. Think about how many of your favourite wines, spirits, sauces, and condiments come in glass. That’s because it preserves the natural flavour, freshness and quality of your food and beverages, as researchers like Dieter Schrenk and science-based online tools such as the UP Scorecard have found. What’s more, glass has no taste or odour that could affect the products inside, keeping their flavour as originally intended.
Health
Glass doesn’t just make your food taste better; it’s also a healthy and inert option for storing your products. While other packaging materials have been shown to contain toxic chemicals, glass is considered one of the safest food contact materials. It’s also the only packaging recognised as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. FDA and EU REACH regulations.
Sustainability
Looking after our planet has never been so important – and one of the easiest ways to lead a more sustainable lifestyle is to recycle more and better. Glass can be recycled over and over again, without losing its quality. Its recycled content is, actually, one of the main ingredients for making new containers – reducing the amount of raw ingredients needed in the process. Today, glass is already widely recycled in Europe, with an average collection rate of 80.1% – and we want to get to 90% by 2030! So, when you choose a product packaged in glass, don’t forget to recycle it properly at the end of its life.
Experience
Unforgettable experiences – that’s what glass is all about. From the ‘pop’ of a champagne bottle to receiving a beautifully packaged perfume as a gift, nothing adds to the experience like glass. And that’s why we launched the “Glass marks the moments that matter” campaign, to show how it has always been a special part of our lives. Coming in a variety of shapes, colours, and forms, glass not only elevates experiences, but also adds a unique touch to your liquor cabinet, kitchen cupboard, or vanity table!
History
And finally, glass is a material rich with historical value. Dating back to Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt around 4000 BCE, the art of glassmaking has gone through countless innovative and stylistic changes. Some products, like olive oil, have been bottled in glass since ancient times and continue to be today. Many other iconic products have been packaged in glass throughout the years. Just think of the timeless Coke bottle, bordelaise wine bottles and Chanel No.5 perfumes!
Learn more about the different features of glass!
Different types of glass containers
Glass bottles
or generations, glass bottles have been the container of choice for packaging liquids – such as milk, wine, liquors, beers, and juices – as they protect products with sensitive, delicate flavour profiles from external influences.
So, if you want to keep your beer fizzy, your juices fresh and your wine aging gracefully, there’s only one way to do it: choose glass!
Glass jars
What do table sauces, jams, pickles, and other preserves have in common? They’re all usually associated with glass!
Whether it’s the typical round jars found in supermarkets or the classic mason jars used at home, glass containers are great for storing food products.
Historically, jams, jellies and pickled vegetables were harvested in the summer and stored in glass jars until winter, when food sources were harder to come by. And there’s a reason for this – it has to do with the inertness of glass, which helps products stay fresh for longer.
Flacons and perfume jars
The scent of a perfume only tells half the story. The bottle, crafted and engraved in a specific style, shape and colour to reflect the perfume itself, takes pride of place on your vanity table.
And when it comes to other beauty products, such as face creams, serums and cosmetics, nothing denotes quality and luxury like glass.
Glass vials and pharmaceutical packaging
There was a time when pharmacies were stocked with amber jars, which were used to package medicine powders and liquid remedies. Although they look quite different today, glass jars are still used for storing a wide range of medications.
Today, glass remains a popular choice for medical vials, droppers, and other pharmaceutical packaging. Why? Because it is an easy-to-sterilise, inert material that can withstand both very hot and cold temperatures, keeping your medicines safe, and your health in check.
When to choose glass?
As you can see, there are many reasons to choose glass. From safeguarding our health to preserving the taste of our favourite products, glass is a reliable option for a wide range of products – one that people already trust and would recommend to their loved ones.
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