With Shell having launched its net-zero range of lubricant products, packaging remains an area where sustainability can be improved. Recycling helps, but it still requires energy. To address this, Shell is trialling a reusable, stainless steel container for its passenger car engine oil.
Many may remember when engine oil used to be sold in steel containers, but the new container is different in that it has been designed to be reused up to 100 times, effectively removing the need for 100 plastic bottles.
The new bottle has a contemporary design that accommodates the industrial processes of the Loop circular platform, which collects, cleans and refills empty packaging.
Global design agency JDO worked on the design of the bottle. According to Packaging World, its Creative Director and Founding Partner, Paul Drake, said the move towards reusable consumer packaging was indicative of a wider shift in the industry, saying:
“As an industry, I think we have become more and more aware of the wastefulness of everything we do. I believe COVID and other things are forcing a lane-change moment. There’s an opportunity to look at the world differently. I think it’s long overdue; we desperately need it.”
Drake said the move towards more durable packaging presented the chance to design the ideal packaging for a product, as opposed to considering the restrictions of the chain of supply. He said his firm faced challenges in coming up with a design that represented the premium nature of the Shell brand, while respecting the requirements of the Loop platform.
