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Diageo has announced a trial of paper-based packaging for Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur in collaboration with PA Consulting, as part of the Bottle Collective with PA and PulPac. The trial involves a dry molded fibre bottle, which is 90% paper, featuring a thin plastic liner and a foil seal. The bottle can be recycled in standard paper streams without the need for consumers to separate the plastic liner from the paper bottle when disposing. According to the company, this is Diageo's first consumer-facing trial with paper-based bottles, evaluating their transport from the filling site in Ireland to Barcelona, consumer interaction and understanding of the bottle's sustainability. The test will involve 2,000 mini bottles (80ml) of Baileys at the Time Out Festival in Barcelona, Spain. Ewan Andrew, president of global supply chain and procurement and chief sustainability officer at Diageo, commented: “When it comes to our packaging, we’re taking an approach of progress over perfection, knowing our packaging will need to evolve along with consumer needs and technological advancements. The consumer is becoming more sustainability savvy and we believe we can meet that need using our design and innovation to bring premium products and more sustainable solutions together.” Jamie Stone, design and innovation expert at PA, said: “We are delighted that the Diageo Baileys Minis are now hitting the consumer market. Dry molded fibre bottles are a huge step forward, setting new standards in the world of more sustainable packaging. But this is only the beginning. PulPac’s dry molded fibre technology has immense potential: not only is it water-saving, energy-efficient and recyclable, but it is also viable at commercial manufacturing speeds and scale. Working with Diageo and other organisations through our Bottle and Blister Pack Collectives has enabled us to pool resources and dramatically accelerate the time to market for this important innovation.” Diageo is exploring paper-based packaging across its wider product range. The company is developing and testing a paper-based bottle for Johnnie Walker, which is still in the development phase, along with other paper bottle concepts. Additionally, Diageo is developing a spiral-wound paper-based bottle for Don Papa, a Filipino rum brand. This bottle, currently in feasibility testing, is expected to be 90% paper-based. It is designed to eliminate the need for a cardboard gift box by integrating the gift box's appearance into the bottle itself.