More and more bars, restaurants and hotels are valuing sustainability in the supply chain. For a HORECA wholesaler, choosing the right suppliers of water, beer and soft drinks not only affects the planet: it also strengthens the distributor’s image in front of clients. The key question is: what makes more sense, supporting the recycling of single-use packaging or betting on returnable containers? The answer depends on very specific factors that are worth knowing.
Quick recommendation
Most sustainable: steel kegs for beer and tanks for soft drinks. They last for years, can be reused dozens or even hundreds of times, and at the end of their life they can be fully recycled.
Good option: returnable glass, as long as each bottle is reused at least 20–25 times and the return logistics are efficient (taking advantage of trucks on their way back).
Reasonable alternatives: aluminum cans with a high recycled content and PET plastic bottles with rPET (recycled plastic).
Last option: single-use glass, even if recycled, because it is heavy and requires a lot of energy to be manufactured again.
How packaging sustainability is measured
To compare packaging, it’s not enough to check whether it can be recycled or not. Experts use what’s called a life cycle analysis: this means studying the entire life of the container, from production, transport and use, to its reuse, recycling or disposal. With this complete view, we can see that: returnable glass wins in sustainability when reused many times and when it doesn’t create empty trips. Single-use glass, even if recycled, always starts at a disadvantage because of its weight and the heat required to remelt it. Aluminum cans are competitive because they are widely recycled and save a large amount of energy. PET plastic with rPET (recycled) is lighter and can be a better option than single-use glass.
What happens in Spain
Coca-Cola: its returnable glass bottles are designed to be reused up to 25 times.
Estrella Damm: states that its bottles can exceed 30 reuses and that around 65% of its containers in hospitality are returnable.
Mahou San Miguel: reports that more than 80% of what it sells in hospitality is reusable.
Vichy Catalan: offers returnable packaging, although it does not publish figures on reuse.
In addition, Spain has 13 glass treatment plants distributed across the territory, which brings the recycling of single-use bottles closer to wholesalers. As for collection, beverage cans exceed 70% and PET plastic bottles are still around 40%, with expectations of improvement in the coming years thanks to the deposit-return system.
Questions you should ask your suppliers
To make decisions with criteria and communicate them to your clients, ask manufacturers for clear information on: the actual number of times their bottles are reused. The percentage of bottles returned versus those that are lost or broken. Water and energy consumption in the washing processes. Percentage of recycled glass in single-use bottles. Percentage of recycled aluminum in cans. Percentage of recycled plastic (rPET) in PET bottles. How they organize return logistics to ensure there are no empty trips.
Conclusion
In the HORECA sector, the best bet is to prioritize reuse: kegs and tanks first, followed by returnable glass bottles with sufficient life cycles and efficient return logistics. When it is not possible to guarantee these requirements, choose aluminum cans with high recycled content or PET bottles with rPET, leaving single-use glass as the last option. Most importantly: don’t buy blindly. Demand clear data from your suppliers on reuse, recycling and resource consumption. That way you will make more sustainable decisions and show your clients that your distribution company is up to what the future requires.
Final question
And now that you’ve made it this far, here comes the tough part: your competitiveness in the market. So let me ask you:
Is it sustainable for your business to apply all this?
Because you know that if your prices aren’t competitive and all this sustainability ends up ruining you because you can’t sell, then none of it will be worth it.