Amcor achieves over 16% plastic reduction in flexible tubes for Bulldog

Rhea-AI Summary

Amcor (NYSE: AMCR) has achieved a significant sustainability milestone by reducing plastic usage in flexible tubes for skincare brand Bulldog by 16.67%. The reduction in wall thickness for 50mm diameter tubes will save approximately 8.5 metric tonnes of plastic annually. The improved design maintains product quality and consumer experience while increasing post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic content to over 62%. The tubes, used for 100ml and 150ml Bulldog products, continue to utilize certified sugarcane-derived plastic, which has been part of their sustainability initiative since 2017. The modification resulted from collaboration between Amcor and Bulldog, involving rigorous trials to ensure squeezability and quality standards were maintained without impacting the filling process.

Positive

• 16.67% reduction in tube wall thickness, saving 8.5 metric tonnes of plastic annually
• Increased post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic content to over 62%
• Maintained product quality and consumer experience despite material reduction
• Continued use of sustainable sugarcane-derived plastic reducing fossil fuel dependence

Negative

• None.

Insights

Sustainability and Packaging Expert

Amcor's material reduction for Bulldog demonstrates incremental sustainability progress but limited financial impact for this $13B packaging giant.

Amcor's achievement of a 16.67% plastic reduction in Bulldog's flexible tubes represents a technical innovation in sustainable packaging, though the financial impact is minimal relative to Amcor's scale. The annual savings of 8.5 metric tonnes of plastic is a positive environmental step but represents a fraction of Amcor's overall production volume as a $13+ billion global packaging leader.

The increased PCR content to 62% aligns with growing industry trends toward circular economy principles and reduced virgin plastic dependence. This incremental improvement builds on their existing sustainability partnership with Bulldog, which already utilized sugarcane-derived biopolymers since 2017.

The technical achievement here is noteworthy - maintaining product functionality while reducing material usage is challenging in packaging engineering. Amcor demonstrated sophisticated development capabilities through their rigorous trials ensuring that consumer experience, print quality, and leak prevention weren't compromised despite the thinner walls.

Importantly, the redesign maintained compatibility with existing components and filling processes, which means implementation costs were likely minimal for both companies. This represents the kind of incremental sustainability improvement that large packaging firms can implement across their portfolios without disrupting operations.

While this specific Bulldog partnership won't significantly move Amcor's financial needle, it serves as a case study of Amcor's technical capabilities and commitment to sustainability - factors increasingly valued by consumer product companies under pressure to reduce environmental footprints. The real value for Amcor is in replicating these innovations across their vast customer base.

Innovative material saving enhances sustainability

ZURICH, June 10, 2025  /PRNewswire/ -- Amcor (NYSE: AMCR, ASX: AMC), a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, has achieved significant material savings as part of its ongoing partnership with skincare brand Bulldog through the further lightweighting of its flexible tubes.

The 16.67% reduction in the wall thickness of each tube sleeve for the 50mm diameter flexible tubes used across a number of Bulldog products in 100ml and 150ml sizes is expected to save approximately 8.5 metric tonnes of plastic annually.

The modification is the result of close collaboration between Amcor and Bulldog to further improve the sustainability attributes of Bulldog's products. Amcor developed a series of rigorous trials to prove that the squeezability and consumer experience were not compromised by this change and that the redesigned lighter-weight tube maintained the high-print and leak-test quality. The lighter-weight tube sleeve is fully compatible with the existing tube cap and shoulder, ensuring the filling process is not impacted.

In addition to the lightweighting, Amcor increased the amount of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic used within the complete tube to over 62%.

Bulldog has always been passionate about having attractive, more sustainable products and has used certified sugarcane from Amcor for its virgin material since 2017. As a biopolymer bi-product of food production, sugarcane-derived plastic reduces Bulldog's reliance on fossil fuels.

"This latest iteration of the 100ml and 150ml flexible tubes is proof of both Bulldog's and Amcor's commitment to a circular society where more sustainable consumption and recycling are the norm," commented Joe Horton, Sales Director at Amcor. "By applying our technical expertise and working together, we have found an innovative way to develop an even more sustainable packaging solution."

James Barnes, Brand Director at Bulldog, said, "The result of our continuing successful collaboration with Amcor is a consumer-facing product that has enhanced its sustainability credentials while still looking highly attractive."

About Amcor

Amcor is a global leader in packaging solutions for consumer and healthcare products. With industry-leading innovation capabilities, global scale and technical expertise, we help our customers grow and meet the needs of millions of consumers every day. Our teams develop responsible, more sustainable packaging in flexible and rigid formats across multiple materials. Supported by a commitment to safety, ~70,000 colleagues across ~140 countries bring our global capabilities to local customers and provide local access to global brands. Our work is guided by our purpose of elevating customers, shaping lives and protecting the future.

NYSE: AMCR; ASX: AMC www.amcor.com | LinkedIn | YouTube 

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SOURCE Amcor

FAQ

How much plastic reduction did Amcor achieve in Bulldog's flexible tubes?

Amcor achieved a 16.67% reduction in wall thickness of tube sleeves, saving approximately 8.5 metric tonnes of plastic annually.

What is the percentage of recycled plastic in Amcor's new tubes for Bulldog?

The new tubes contain over 62% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic.

How does Bulldog's packaging contribute to sustainability?

Bulldog uses certified sugarcane-derived plastic since 2017, reduced plastic content by 16.67%, and incorporates over 62% recycled plastic in their tubes.

What sizes of Bulldog products are affected by this packaging change?

The packaging change affects Bulldog's 100ml and 150ml products using 50mm diameter flexible tubes.

Does the reduced plastic content affect product quality or usability?

No, rigorous trials confirmed that squeezability, consumer experience, print quality, and leak-test performance were maintained despite the reduction in material.