Beverage bottles: 3 popular types and their pros and cons of it

Our discussion today is about beverage bottles, an integral part of each beverage manufacturing and business. There is a wide range of bottle types, and each type has unique functions and benefits and downsides that most beverage entrepreneurs probably don’t know.
Therefore, this writing will provide essential knowledge about beverage bottles, particularly three popular bottle types and what to consider to find a suitable bottle for your product.

What is a beverage bottle?

Beverage bottles are a container that is used to hold beverages safe

A beverage bottle is a container that is used to hold beverages safe for consumption. A beverage bottle allows an individual user to drink and transport a liquid from one place to another.
A beverage bottle or bottle can, is usually made of plastic, glass, or metal. These bottles are available in various shapes, colors, and sizes. Beverage bottles were sometimes made of wood, bark, or animal skins such as leather and sheepskin in the past. They can be either disposable or reusable. Reusable bottles can also be used for liquids such as juice, iced tea, alcoholic beverages, or soft drinks. Reusable bottles reduce plastic waste and contribute to saving the environment. Easily portable, beverage bottles make for convenient use. Non-reusable water bottles often list nutrition facts.

3 Main types of beverage bottles and their both sides

Plastic bottle

Plastic bottles are cost-friendly

A plastic bottle is a bottle made from high-density or low-density plastic. Plastic bottles are typically used to store water, soft drinks, motor oil, cooking oil, medicine, shampoo, milk, and ink. The size ranges from tiny bottles to large volumes. Consumer blow-molded containers often have integral handles or are shaped to facilitate grasping.
They quickly became popular with manufacturers and customers because of their lightweight nature, relatively low production, and transportation costs compared to glass bottles. However, they come with some serious adverse health and environmental impacts.
Pros

• Generally, plastic bottles are also inexpensive.
• Plastic is a wildly versatile material. That’s why plastic bottles come in different shapes, colors and textures. You can catch a rigid plastic bottle with a screw-top lid that is lightweight and flexible.
• Plastic bottle creators have come up with handy collapsible bottles that you can stuff into your backpacking gear without adding too much weight.

Cons

Plastic bottles have a harmful impact on the environment

• Hard plastic bottles are labeled with the number “7” leach the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) into the beverages inside. This chemical is found in materials as diverse as receipts, CD cases, and tin cans’ liners.

BPA components mimic estrogen hormone cells, confusing the whole body and interfering with cell functioning and reproductive processes. That’s why it’s been known as an endocrine disruptor.

• Even though reusable plastic bottles are created for more extended use than single-use plastic bottles, they are still plastic materials. The only way to eliminate the harmful impacts of plastic is to avoid it as much as possible.
• Plastic doesn’t maintain its youthful luster as much as other materials. It can easily get scratched or warped over time through general wear and tear, and they can shed microplastics into your drinks somehow.

Aluminum bottle

The aluminum bottle is very lightweight

The aluminum bottle is also called metal water bottles, are growing in popularity. Made primarily from stainless steel or aluminum (aluminum), they are durable, retain less odor and taste from original contents than most plastic bottles do, but can sometimes impact a metallic taste.
Metal bottles often contain a resin or epoxy liner to protect products from taste and odor transfer. Even though most liners are now BPA-free, older and less expensive models can still contain BPA.
Pros

• Aluminum is very lightweight, so it’s an ideal alternative to plastic bottles when you need to shave off every ounce of weight.
• As it’s a cheap material to produce, aluminum bottles will not break your budget.

Cons

• Aluminum bottles require a lining; therefore, the metal does not contact beverages directly. This is because aluminum can emit toxic chemical components, rendering products unsafe to drink. Most of the linings used in aluminum materials are made with plastics and resins with the chemical BPA. This chemical has many negative health risks, especially for children.
• Because aluminum is a lightweight material, it dents easier than stainless steel. But, an aluminum bottle will not likely break if you drop it.

Glass bottle

Glass bottles are entirely recyclable and BPA-free

Glass bottles are heavier than plastic or aluminum and are easier to damage or break. Like metal bottle, they also have a high level of temperature endure, so they are not the best suit for very hot or cold liquids.
Because they are entirely recyclable, BPA-free, and do not retain and transfer taste or odor. Glass bottles are becoming an ideal choice for many wise consumers concerned about their health condition.
Pros

• Glass bottles come with health benefits more than plastic or metal bottles.
• Glass packages are generally safe to put in the dishwasher because you would with any thicker glass bowl or jar around the house.
• Glass bottles have no known health risks.
• When you drink from a glass beverage bottle, you’ll enjoy the original taste and flavor of your drink.

Cons

• Glass bottles do not provide insulation. Unless you fill your bottle with some ice cubes, your drink will not remain cold. However, the exterior of the glass bottle may become too cold to the touch if you fill it with ice. For that reason, many glass water bottles come in a plastic casing intended to solve some of these design flaws.
• The glass material can shatter easily when you drop it. For that reason, glass beverage bottle designers have developed plastic casings and thicker-walled glass to reduce the ability to break. But thicker walls and more exterior materials mean more weight. Remind that accidents happen, and if you drop a glass bottle, there is no guarantee it won’t break.
• Among the different beverage bottle types, glass bottles are the heaviest. So they’re fine for activities that don’t require you to have them. Still, for people who want a bottle they can easily tote all day, we recommend a lighter style. Glass bottles work fine at indoor activities, but for people who travel or have lots of other things to carry, skip the glass models and go for stainless steel.

What to consider to find the best beverage bottle

Specify the type of beverage

The first step you need to consider is to know exactly what your type of beverage is and who your target consumer is. There are so many types of bottles to choose from, and each type has a specific function and characteristic.
Identify what type of your product also matters when you are on the step of packaging design. Glass bottles bring the feeling of luxury, plastic bottle is convenient, the aluminum bottle is durable. What you want your user experience is mainly based on your packaging, and beverage bottles also play a part. Therefore, your team must think about this aspect seriously.
The size of bottles

Bottle size or capacity must be based on the customer’s needs

Once you’ve figured out the beverage type, you can easily choose the type of beverage bottle that suits your product best. The next step is to consider the perfect size. Bottle size or capacity must be based on the customer’s needs, such as what they use the product for, how many times they use it a day, what occasion they use it or if they bring it with them frequently or not.
The shape of bottles
The bottle shape usually depends on what it’s used for. To figure out the perfect shape, you need to research and understand your target consumer carefully. The shape does not only matter for consumer purposes but also packaging design and aesthetics of the product.
Read more: 7 simple steps to create a promising beverage packaging design
Materials

Glass material comes with health benefits more than plastic or metal material

As we’ve mentioned above, there are three main types of material bottles: plastics, glass, and aluminum. But in reality, you can find a wide range of materials such as fragile glass bottles, single-walled plastic, single-walled stainless steel, or insulated stainless steel, …

To wrap up

It’s been a long journey to know everything about the beverage bottle world. It must take a substantial amount of time and effort, but it will be worth it as you will figure out how to serve your consumer with a perfect beverage bottle experience.
If you find this topic valuable, don’t hesitate to find out more about our talk. Maybe, you will discover a new business idea somehow.

Tan Do is a global beverage ODM/OEM manufacturer and supplier located in Vietnam. Since 1996, we have built trust and credibility not only throughout Vietnam but also in many parts of the world. Leveraging state-of-the-art technology, we have crafted thousands of products that align with ISO, HACCP, HALAL, FDA, and many other standards.