As the Chancellor unveils new government policies aimed at prioritizing growth and wealth creation, Frugalpac, a British leader in food and drink sustainable packaging, has introduced its own Green Growth for Manufacturing Manifesto in the House of Commons, printed on their pioneering product, the Frugal Bottle.
During the parliamentary event, sponsored by Ipswich MP Jack Abbott, Frugalpac’s CEO, Malcolm Waugh, highlighted both the successes and challenges the company has encountered since the launch of its innovative Frugal Bottle in 2020. He presented a manifesto printed on the paper bottle itself, detailing four key policies that could significantly enhance Green Growth for sustainable packaging in the UK.
The proposed policies include the establishment of a UK-based recycled content industry, the introduction of standardized carbon labeling, nationwide recycling standardization, and the reform of R&D tax credits.
This parliamentary reception celebrates nearly five years of achievement with the Frugal Bottle, recognized as the world’s first commercially available paper bottle designed for wine, spirits, and edible oils.
Constructed from 94% recycled paperboard and weighing just 83 grams, the Frugal Bottle is up to five times lighter than conventional glass bottles, resulting in reduced transportation emissions and a carbon footprint that’s up to 84% lower than glass.
A total of 63 drinks brands globally now utilize the Frugal Bottle for 127 wines, spirits, and olive oils.
These bottles are readily available in major UK retailers such as Sainsbury’s and Ocado, and are peddled across 25 countries, including Spain, France, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States.
Additionally, Frugalpac manufactures and exports the machines used to produce these bottles and has successfully sold three of them.
- In 2023, Frugalpac sold its first Frugal Bottle Assembly Machine (FBAM-1) to Kinsbrae Packaging in Canada, which has been manufacturing low-carbon bottles for over a year.
- This month marks the sale of a second machine to Monterey Wine Company in California, which is set to begin production soon.
- A third machine has been sold to Australia and will be installed later this year.
Frugalpac’s dedication to innovation recently garnered recognition through the King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation, acknowledging its groundbreaking contributions to the packaging industry.
Malcolm Waugh unveiled Frugalpac’s Paper Bottle Green Growth Manifesto, a direct call to action printed on its bottles, as part of the company’s initiative to expedite the transition to a net-zero economy.
The manifesto outlines four essential policy proposals:
- Establish a UK-Based Recycled Content Industry: Currently, Frugalpac imports recycled technical paperboard from Germany, even though the UK recycles over 3.8 million tonnes of paper annually. Establishing a domestic industry would lower carbon emissions and generate green manufacturing jobs.
- Introduce Standardised Carbon Labelling: Implementing a universal carbon labelling system would empower consumers to make informed choices, driving demand for sustainable products while reducing greenwashing.
- Deliver Nationwide Recycling Standardisation: Variability in recycling systems across the UK confuses consumers and limits recycling rates. Frugalpac advocates for uniform recycling collection, including soft plastics, to enhance recycling efforts.
- Reform R&D Tax Credits: To maintain the momentum of sustainable innovation, Frugalpac urges reforms to the R&D tax credit system, supporting the development of cutting-edge sustainable products.
In response to the Chancellor’s speech on November 29, Frugalpac CEO Malcolm Waugh stated: “We welcome the Chancellor’s commitment to economic growth, to bringing investment to the UK, while ensuring there will be no trade-off between growth and net zero.
“The green manufacturing sector we are in has huge growth potential both domestically and for exports.
“To go further and faster, we’ve developed this manifesto with four key policy proposals that we think would make a positive difference, create more green jobs, and boost growth.
“Firstly, to establish a UK-based recycled content industry as we currently have to import recycled cardboard from Germany to make our paper bottles. Secondly, to introduce a standardized carbon labeling system to help consumers know how sustainable their packaging is. Standardizing nationwide recycling and finally, the reform of R&D tax credits to keep sustainable businesses at the forefront of innovation.
“These measures will not only help Green Manufacturing SMEs like ours grow but also accelerate the UK’s net-zero ambitions, enhance consumer awareness of green issues, and drive innovation in a critical growth sector of our economy and the economy at large.
“Frugalpac is proud of our achievements over the last five years and building our business through challenging times but this is just the beginning.
“We’re ambitious about the role the Frugal Bottle can play in decarbonising the drinks industry, both here in the UK and globally. We’ve made significant strides, creating a sustainable manufacturing and exporting business that proves what’s possible in green innovation.”
Jack Abbott, MP for Ipswich and the Government’s Mission Champion for the East of England, added:
“Frugalpac has been a Great Green British SME success that I am proud to have working and growing in Ipswich.
“The Government has set the ambition for Britain to be a world-leading place for Green SMEs to innovate, invest, and thrive, and I want Ipswich and Suffolk to be at the very heart of that. Frugalpac is leading the way in doing so already, and I look forward to continuing to work with them as they go from strength to strength.”