Carlsberg: Recycled Packaging & Regenerative Agriculture

Carlsberg is one of the world’s leading brewing companies, with a large portfolio of beer and other beverage brands.

Within its sustainability strategy, it focuses on reducing plastic waste through redesigning packaging and recycling, as well as guiding the shift towards regenerative agriculture.

Its science based targets have been verified in line with the 1.5 C level of the Paris Agreement, showing its commitment to emissions reduction.

Carlsberg has been ranked in 57th place in Sustainability Magazine’s Top 250 World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2025.

Carlsberg’s carbon ambitions

Carlsberg launched its enhanced ESG programme, Together Towards ZERO and Beyond (TTZAB), working towards 2030 targets and introducing a new 2040 target.

Its ZERO Carbon Footprint ambition involves achieving zero carbon emissions at its breweries and a 30% reduction of its value chain emissions by 2030.

Its long term target is to go beyond by achieving net zero carbon emissions across its entire value chain by 2040.

To reach these goals, Carlsberg is working towards decarbonising its thermal energy usage, by converting its boilers from using natural gas to using renewable thermal fuels or electrification.

It also ensures that any additional renewable electricity comes from on-site renewable electricity generation or is procured through Power Purchase Agreements.

Peter Hammarstedt, CEO of Carlsberg Sweden, says: “We are constantly working to take concrete steps towards a more sustainable business.”

Cutting down on plastic packaging

Carlsberg’s goal is to have 100% recyclable, reusable or renewable packaging by 2030.

To achieve this, it is designing its packaging to contribute to a circular economy and using bio-based materials.

It is working across the value chain, introducing alternatives to fossil fuel-based plastics in its packaging, while working with suppliers to increase the recycled content in packaging materials.

In a collaboration with packaging manufacturer DS Smith, Carlsberg has developed a new multipack design for testing in Poland.

This design features rounded corners for its bottles, which reduces the need for shrink film on pallets transporting the drinks.

DS Smith’s multipack has rounded corners that help to avoid damage, which also reduces empty space in the box by 4.2% and makes the box 17% lighter.

The packaging is also fully recyclable, being trialled by Carlsberg Poland for its Carlsberg, Garage and Somersby beer product ranges.

This design shift is expected to save more than 200 tonnes of CO₂ annually for Carlsberg in Poland.

Simon Boas Hoffmeyer, VP Sustainability and ESG at Carlsberg, says: “Our performance in 2024 is due in large part to the long standing commitment to our ESG agenda and our focus on creating impact through partnerships and collaborations.

“A prime example is in the area of packaging. We could not achieve a 76% collection and recycling rate of our bottles and cans without years of hard work in industry-wide partnerships for efficient deposit return schemes and recycling infrastructure across our markets.”

Regenerative agriculture in Europe

Carlsberg has started the transition to regenerative agriculture practices in Denmark, France, the UK and Finland.

This is pushing the company towards achieving its ZERO farming footprint ambition, by expanding its sourcing of regenerative raw materials.

Its aim is to have 30% of its raw materials grown using regenerative agricultural practices by 2030 and 100% by 2040.

These raw material supply chains include all malt, barley, wheat, rice, sugar, hops and corn crops.

Carlsberg’s reduction in farming emissions is expected to come from lower fuel usage due to low/no tilling, reduced fertiliser usage due to healthier soils and a more stable yield over time compared to conventional farming methods.

To promote regenerative farming, Carlsberg is working on formalising its principles of regenerative agriculture, mapping its supply areas and partners to implement the practices, engaging with suppliers and integrating new agriculture requirements into its procurement processes.

In the UK, for example, Carlsberg is working with farmers to brew Carlsberg Danish Pilsner with 100% regenerative barley by 2027.