The trial is an important milestone for the drinks industry, demonstrating the potential for consumers’ returned bottles to be recycled and reused in new packaging produced locally in Ireland.

While all Ballygowan bottles are already made from 100% recycled PET, the limited recycling infrastructure on the island of Ireland has meant that Britvic Ireland has historically sourced raw materials through the open market, which includes recycled material from a range of international sources.

Through a collaboration with Re-turn, the operator of Ireland’s DRS, Britvic Ireland has secured a dedicated batch of Irish recycled PET. This material is now being trialled on the Ballygowan production line to produce what is believed to be Ireland’s first truly circular PET bottle using recycled content sourced from bottles returned by Irish consumers through the DRS.

Material from the DRS is collected and sorted by Limerick Polymers Production (LPP) at its site in Limerick City, which is Ireland’s first purpose-built Plastic Recovery Facility. The sorted material was then processed through Britvic Ireland’s bottle production partner before being trialled on Ballygowan’s production line in Newcastle West. Together, LPP’s Limerick facility and Ballygowan’s Newcastle West production line position the county as a key hub in Ireland’s circular packaging system, supporting the journey of returned bottles from collection and sorting through to their reuse in new bottles.

Commenting on the successful trial, Minister Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister for Arts, Culture, Communications, Media and Sport and TD for Limerick County, said:

“This is a very welcome development for Limerick and for Ireland’s wider circular economy. To see bottles returned by Irish consumers being processed by LPP and then trialled in new packaging at Ballygowan’s production line in Newcastle West is a powerful example of innovation happening here in our county. It demonstrates the important role that local industry can play in supporting national sustainability goals, while also reinforcing Limerick’s position as a centre for enterprise, infrastructure and environmental progress.”

Sian Young, Sustainable Business & Corporate Affairs Director, Britvic Ireland, said: “This trial is about proving what a circular packaging system can look like in practice. Every Ballygowan bottle is already made from 100% recycled PET, but using recycled material sourced directly from Ireland’s DRS brings us a step closer to a closed-loop model for drinks packaging on the island. It shows the potential for a truly circular system, where bottles returned by Irish consumers can be recycled and used again in new bottles produced for the Irish market.”

Ciaran Foley, CEO of Re-turn, said: “Ireland's Deposit Return Scheme was designed to collect high-quality recyclable material in a cleaner and more efficient way, so that drinks containers can remain in circulation for longer. This trial with Britvic Ireland is an important proof point for the Scheme, showing how bottles returned by consumers through the DRS can support bottle-to-bottle recycling and new packaging production here in Ireland. It is a strong example of collaboration across the drinks, recycling and recovery sectors, and of the role the DRS can play in helping Ireland build a more circular system.”

Mark Sheahan of LPP said: “LPP is proud to play a key role in Ireland’s circular packaging infrastructure. As Ireland’s first purpose-built Plastic Recovery Facility, our Limerick site is helping to ensure that material collected through the Deposit Return Scheme can be sorted and recovered to a high standard, supporting its reuse in new packaging and helping Ireland move closer to a truly circular system.”