Sustainability Awards Finalist Interview: P&G’s lightweight laundry detergent bottle
With the winners of the Sustainability Awards due to be announced tomorrow at the Sustainable Packaging Summit, we asked Procter
2 min read
With the winners of the Sustainability Awards due to be announced tomorrow at the Sustainable Packaging Summit, we asked Procter & Gamble (P&G)’s Nikola Curcic, head of Packaging Development for liquid detergents, to tell us more about its re-designed lightweight bottle for Ariel, nominated in the Readers’ Award category.
You’re a finalist in the Sustainability Awards 2026. Congratulations! To start off, could you summarize your entry in less than 50 words?
Our re-designed liquid laundry detergent bottle reflects a broader shift towards improving our packaging systems. By reducing plastic use, improving recyclability, and enhancing consumer usability, the re-design supports P&G’s long‑term sustainability goals while delivering immediate benefits to shoppers.
Tell us about what is innovative about your project and its impact on packaging sustainability.
The bottle features allow us to improve the bottle strength in key areas, improving its ability to be processed on our lines and in the supply chain. This, in turn, enables us to reduce plastic. This was achieved through extensive modelling and in-line testing to confirm these improvements, executed in direct collaboration with our supply partners.
Finally, can you tell us about the ongoing development of your project, such as how your innovation/initiative has been received by the industry?
This bottle has been successfully launched on the market in 2025 across Europe and in 11 different sizes. With this innovation we are saving around 400 tonnes of HDPE plastic per year.
The winners of this year’s Sustainability Awards will be announced on the 11th November at the Sustainable Packaging Summit, taking place from the 10th-12th November in Utrecht, Netherlands. The Summit mobilizes leaders of the FMCG value chain, policymakers, NGOs, recyclers and investors to collaborate, remove barriers and identify opportunities on the road to sustainable transformation.
To learn more or register, visit: https://www.packagingsummit.earth
If you liked this story, you might also enjoy:
The ultimate guide to packaging innovation in 2026
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation: what to know in 2026
Everything you need to know about global packaging sustainability regulation
Sponsored stories
The supply chain of the future: how Print and Apply (P&A) technology can enable end-to-end traceability
In this edition of The Spotlight, Markem-Imaje examines how supply chains have evolved, and how Print and Apply (P&
Design for recycling under PPWR: what the CEN standards mean for label choices
In this edition of the Spotlight, the experts from UPM discuss what manufacturers have to bear in mind when choosing
Solidus launches Futurline Heat&Eat: fibre-based MAP trays for microwave, oven and air fryer use
Solidus is introducing Futurline Heat&Eat, a new trademark for its range of fibre-based modified atmosphere packaging (MAP)
How X-Rite helps printers turn colour into a competitive advantage
Label and packaging printers are under increasing pressure to produce more jobs, in shorter runs, with tighter margins and less
Meeting the growing demands of food packaging: Where performance meets responsibility
In our latest Spotlight, Arnaud Brunet, Senior Director Portfolio and Sustainability at CRYOVAC®, looks at why food packaging has to
Why PET innovation also demands adhesive innovation
As PET bottles incorporate more recycled content, become lighter and adopt label constructions, the adhesive securing the label must perform
Regulation, recyclability and renewables: a conversation with UPM
Is the overlap between policy, circularity, and renewable materials a sweet spot for packaging innovation – and how do we make
We speak cheese – strategies to succeed in a diverse category
In our latest Spotlight, we learn how Coexpan and Emsur, part of Grupo Lantero, help companies to protect cheese, improve
Read next
TÜV SÜD offers independent PFAS-tested certification
TÜV SÜD has begun offering independent certification for products tested for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), aiming to help companies
Mars and Warner Bros release limited-edition M&Ms Christmas packaging
Mars and Warner Bros have partnered to launch limited-edition M&Ms packaging inspired by Christmas films including Elf
What is the state of reusable and refillable packaging in Europe?
New ERA and Zero Waste Europe have just launched the 2026 European Reuse Barometer, which draws on survey results and
PG Tips unveils refreshed packaging design
PG Tips has revealed a refreshed packaging design and new branding created by Boundless Brand Design (Boundless) as part of