O-I makes new bottle sizes for Marston's ales

The UK brewer of premium bottled ales, Marston’s, has introduced smaller bottle sizes in response to research that confirms continued premiumisation in the ale market, with 135,000 new shoppers recruited to the sector last year.

The company has launched two 330ml glass bottles, designed and made by O-I.

The new sizes, for Wychwood and Marston’s ales respectively, mirror the shapes of the brands’ well-known half litre bottles and will be available in both on and off trade outlets.

The Wychwood bottle is embossed with the familiar Hobgoblin around the shoulder, while the Marston’s bottle is unembossed, providing the brewer with the flexibility it needs to pack a variety of different brands in the same bottle.

James Coyle, national sales and marketing director for Marston’s says: “Volume sales of premium bottled ales grew by nearly 4% in 2010 but, despite the growth in home drinking, sales of ale in the off-trade are still underperforming on-trade sales by nearly 3:1.

"We believe the 330ml multipack is one way of bridging this gap as it offers consumers more availability of great tasting ale brands at the sub-£5 price point.”

O-I designers developed both new bottles within tight parameters. Paul McLavin, O-I sales manager, says: “Both bottles are made at 218g, their optimum weight using lightweight glassmaking technology, and to the same height and diameter to ease filling changeover times. The increase in sales of glass packed ale contrasts to the continued decline in the canned ale sector as consumers trade quantity for quality.”

About O-I
Owens-Illinois, Inc. (NYSE: OI) is the world’s largest glass container manufacturer. With revenues of $6.6 billion in 2010, the company is headquartered in Perrysburg, Ohio, USA, and employs more than 24,000 people at 81 plants in 21 countries. O-I delivers safe, effective and sustainable glass packaging solutions to a growing global marketplace. For more information, visit www.o-i.com.

1 March 2011 - Felicity Murray