Oonly launches “first ever” refillable PET water bottle in Hungary within national DRS

30 Jan 2024 --- Reusable PET bottler Petainer and Hungarian mineral water brand Oonly are releasing the “first ever” refillable PET (refPET) bottle onto the Hungarian market. The bottle is launched within Hungary’s new deposit return scheme (DRS).

Oonly is launching the refillable PET bottle ahead of European legislation on reuse, which is due in 2030. The water brand says it was “essential” to launch a product with the “European leader” in refPET, Petainer. 

Petainer says its refPET bottle is a first for many Hungarian consumers. With 25 reuse cycles possible, the new bottle is designed to be a sustainable solution for the Hungarian market.

Oonly’s new refPET bottle will preserve the inherent mineral water properties from spring to consumer. Oonly established a greenfield site with state-of-the-art industry 4.0 robotized equipment, with a potential annual fill capacity of over 50 million bottles. 

 Oonly established a greenfield site with a potential annual fill capacity of over 50 million bottles.Less material than glass 
Reusable bottles can be scuffed as they travel through the system, a natural part of the process across all packaging materials. Many customers see bottles with scuffs as a mark of the system’s success, knowing their packaging is sensibly collected and reused. Oonly and Petainer have taken this a step further with an innovative new textured design that serves to highlight the branding and protect the product over its reuse cycles.

Compared to the equivalent refillable 1.5 L glass bottle, the new Oonly bottle weighs 106 g and, across its 25 cycles, will achieve the equivalent workload of approximately 25 bottles. At 4.2 g per cycle, the bottle will have a substantially lower material usage versus an equivalent glass bottle at around 800 g (13.3 g across 60 reuses). 

The weight of the Oonly bottle allows it to undergo vigorous washing before it is refilled and sent back out for retail like its glass equivalents. Meta-analysis commissioned by Oonly before its own full LCA in 2024 shows the benefit of refPET over refillable glass.

Oonly is filled with mineral water sourced in Pannonhalma, Hungary. The “exceptional” natural mineral water is drawn from a protected water table that is 17,500 years old and lies 136 m underground. Therefore, ensuring that the mineral water maintains its quality and purity is essential, stresses the water brand. 

Edited by Natalie Schwertheim