Molson Coors to eliminate plastic rings

CHICAGO - Molson Coors Beverage Co. Tuesday said it will invest $85 million to begin the transition to fully recyclable and sustainably sourced cardboard-wrap carriers later this year, eliminating plastic rings.

The company said it will initially eliminate plastic rings from Coors Light packaging globally, where it owns brewing operations, and is set to become the largest beer brand in North America to move away from plastic rings.

The Molson Coors investment will upgrade packaging machinery, which will also allow the company's entire North American portfolio of brands to advance to cardboard wrap carriers by the end of 2025. In total, the move by Molson Coors will save 1.7 million pounds of plastic waste annually, the company said.

In 2021, Molson Coors removed plastic rings across all major brands sold in the United Kingdom, including Coors and Carling, and transitioned to recyclable cardboard sleeves. Molson Coors in Canada moved to more sustainable plastic rings in 2021 as an initial step, and as part of Tuesday's announcement commits to eliminate plastic rings entirely.

"Our business, and Coors in particular, has a long history of using packaging innovation to protect our environment, and today we are building on that rich legacy," said Gavin Hattersley, CEO of Chicago-based Molson Coors.