Heineken breaks tradition with new returnable 'Star Bottle' design in SA

28 Feb 2024

Heineken beer, which has the same design in 190 countries worldwide, will break with tradition unveiling a bold new design for its new returnable bottle in South Africa, a change not made anywhere else in the world. The 650ml returnable bottle, dubbed the “Star Bottle” features the brand’s iconic star on its body with the Heineken name deep etched directly into the glass.

Image supplied

The new design, is not only unique looking, it is reportedly the first returnable Heineken bottle to be sold on South African soil.

This move underscores the company’s continued ambition towards sustainability. In 2022 Heineken invested in a cutting-edge water reclamation facility and solar power plant with over 14,000 panels for its Sedibeng brewery, achieving an energy generation capacity of 6.5 megawatts, reducing the brewery’s carbon emissions by approximately 30%.

Introducing the NEW Heineken® 650ml Returnable STAR bottle. #HeinekenStarBottle #EnjoyResponsibly pic.twitter.com/Y1DpVPp7V4
— Heineken SA (@Heineken_SA) February 21, 2024

Says Bhavna Mistry, senior brand manager for Heineken, “The new bottle is about more than only beautiful design, in 2023 29% of our beer portfolio was in returnable bottles, this decision will result in 65% of our total beer portfolio moving out of single-use glass in 2024.”

Among its ambitions, the company aims to reach net zero carbon emissions across its value chain by 2040, which would position Heineken 10 years ahead of the 2050 Paris Climate Agreement target, making the company the first global brewer to commit to such an ambitious timeline.

“With the new bottle design, our customers will continue to savor the same great taste that has been a hallmark in premium settings for over 150 years,” adds Mistry.