Insight Focus
Tethered closures are the next big thing in sustainability. They ensure the plastic cap doesn’t get separated from the bottle in the recycling stream. But are they really practical enough?
Do We Practice What We Preach?
Consumers are often pretty vocal about wanting to be environmentally responsible. Younger demographics loudly say that they want to ‘do the right thing’, yet do not always connect that to their own personal behaviour. They do however tend to favour brands that can prove their sustainability credentials.
This manifests itself in young adults buying just as many convenience and snack foods as their ‘less responsible’ counterparts but being much more aware of sustainability credentials. Middle aged people are often more practical in their approach to sustainability, with higher rates of domestic recycling in these groups, for example.
Source: Civic Science
What no demographic can get away from is the introduction of tethered closures on single use plastic beverage bottles of up to 3 litres, which came into force in the EU in July 2024. Many people will, by now, have bought a bottled drink – mineral water, milk, juice – that has a tethered closure.
Without any fanfare or explanation, they’ve opened the bottle and…what?! Been confused? Thought they ought to break it off? Found it tricky to get the lid back on? Or thought they’d put it back on the milk properly until they made a cup of tea later and found it spilt all over the fridge (just me?!)
Consumer feedback since the introduction of tethered closures on single use plastic beverage bottles generally highlight a mix of understanding the practical and environmental benefits, alongside some concerns about usability.
The practicality of the caps staying attached is appreciated, but there’s a lack of clarity about why. It’s because the closures don’t get separated from the bottles in the recycling stream and so the material used in the lids stays in the circular economy rather than going anywhere else.
Usability Concerns Abound
But while consumers realise that tethered closures help reduce litter and support recycling, frustrations with usability is still in the educational phase. Consumers need some time to adapt and will also benefit from information regarding how best to use the closures.
The fact that there should be an audible ‘click’ when the closure reaches a fully open position would surely help to educate consumers that they don’t have to have the lid squished against their nose, as some social media memes seem to suggest!
With tethered closure legislation in the European Union leading the way with mandatory implementation by 2024 as part of its Single-Use Plastics Directive, the next regions expected to adopt similar legislation include other parts of Europe and potentially countries influenced by EU regulations due to trade and environmental agreements.
The transition to tethered caps is widely seen as a positive step towards sustainability, so promoting and supporting consumer acceptance through user-friendly designs remains crucial for widespread adoption. It’s clear that tethered closures aren’t going anywhere – which is entirely the point!
