Monchique – Sport 100% Recycled

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

Bottle made of 100% recycled PET (rPET). Both the shrinkwrap packaging and the labels are made of recycled plastic.

SUSTAINABLE TARGET

Create a sustainable packaging that allows to reduce carbon footprint and practice circular economy. The use of recycled plastic is key to circular economy.

PARTNERS

Upstairs Design Studio – water bottle design.

Resilux, S.A – development of the current rPET solution.

COMPANY SUMMARY

Sociedade da Água de Monchique, S. A. has operated the public concession of the mineral water of Monchique since December 16, 1992. The manufacturing and logistical facilities are located in Caldas de Monchique, Algarve, in a protected area of over 50 hectares, where the preservation of aquifers is the key factor to a sustainable management of the environment and guarantee the inviolable water quality. Monchique Water is distinguished by its unique natural physical-chemical composition with its outstanding natural 9.5 pH value. From that special composition result unique characteristics that offer benefits and help consumers to achieve and maintain well-being and balance.

REASON WHY/ MOTIVATION

More than just a new package, the Monchique Sport 100% Recycled reflects the transformation that the company has been undergoing over the last few years focused on its commitment to environmental sustainability, providing the market with increasingly innovative solutions based on the circular economy and the use of sustainable materials, such as the reintroduction of the glass bottles, the myMonchique app (designed not only for tracking the users’ daily water intake, but also to reward them for recycling with virtual Monchique coins convertible into discounts on the Monchique online store), the integration of 30% recycled PET in its packaging, the elimination of shrinkwrap plastic consumption on the 5 litre bottles, among many others.

DESCRIPTION and STRATEGIES

The company is always in search of sustainable solutions for its products. This bottle is the climax of this search. It is made from 100% recycled plastic, that is, already used plastic. This allows us to avoid the necessity to produce new virgin plastic.

ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR

Having a bottle made from 100% recycled plastic is a big achievement.

Monchique is the first Portuguese brand of bottled water that launched this solution.

 LESSONS LEARNED

It is worth searching for new sustainable solutions to deliver our water to consumers.

The Monchique Sport 100% Recycled bottle is proving to be a good example of that.

We will continue our search for sustainable solutions.

NEXT STEPS

Sociedade da Água de Monchique will soon make the pack available in a cardboard box version, sourced from FSC certified suppliers. Assess the real contribution of this product for plastic reduction. We will look for suppliers for caps also made of recycled plastic.

POTENTIAL FOR REPLICATION

It has a good potential for replication. But rPET is more expensive than PET. It can have a more competitive price if there is a massive adoption in the industry.