Austrian brewery adopts fibre-based packaging for e-commerce expansion

DS Smith, an International Paper company and leading global provider of sustainable fibre-based packaging solutions, have collaborated with the brewery, Privatbrauerei Hirt in Austria, to support the launch of a new e-commerce outlet.

The exclusive beverages including award-winning beers, lemonades, vinegars, and spirits from Privatbrauerei Hirt, are popular gifts for consumers in the region and are being made available online to meet a growing demand for the brand’s alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. In collaboration, DS Smith have created a bespoke e-commerce packaging solution to provide optimal protection for the brewery’s products in 0.5 litre and 0.75 litre glass bottles, during storage and transportation to e-commerce customers.

Designing for sustainability with Circular Design Metrics (CDM)

The DS Smith fibre-based and sustainable packaging is effective in securing critical areas of the products, such as the cap and base of the glass bottles and it incorporates shock-absorbing edges and securing tabs. It is also 100% recyclable, with no inclusion of plastic components.

As a part of their design strategy and implementation, the DS Smith design team applied their unique and industry-first Circular Design Metrics (CDM) tools to measure and quantify the sustainability performance of the new packaging across eight key indicators, ranging from carbon footprint, and reuse to materials reduction, supply chain optimization, and recyclability.

Heimo Schader, Managing Director, Privatbrauerei Hirt, Austria: Our new packaging combines functionality with design and it can be assembled quickly and efficiently while being versatile for our diverse types of product ranges. We are excited that our customers can now enjoy our premium and high-quality products when they purchase from our new online shop. The fibre-based packaging also offers ample space for our impactful and recognizable branding, and this ensures an exceptional unboxing experience.

Tradition meets innovation

In addition, the DS Smith design means that the packaging solution is suitable for products in bottles in a variety of different shapes and sizes – making the solution a cost effective and flexible option without the need for the inclusion of extra components to bolster the internal support structure.

Dieter Glawischnig, Managing Director, Packaging, DS Smith Austria: Our mission was to develop a smart, sustainable packaging that meets the high standards expected of premium beverages and uses less materials, while providing a comprehensive and robust product protection in terms of casing. This is a crucial factor and key consideration for many of our customers in today's booming e-commerce landscape. We are also satisfied that the packaging has an elegant and natural aesthetic uniquely combined with delicate white flexographic printing. This is intended to hint at the quality of the beverages inside the box and ensure that Privatbrauerei Hirt's branding is bold and immediately recognizable.

According to research from Euromonitor International, between 2019 and 2024, the sales of alcoholic beverages via e-commerce increased in Austria by 9.7% annually and accounted for around 3% of total retail sales in the Austrian region.

Privatbrauerei Hirt has a brewing tradition that spans over seven hundred and fifty-five years, and the company has a reputation that is synonymous with quality and regional produce, and skills. The brewery distributes its products exclusively to e-commerce customers in Austria.

DS Smith is committed to leading an industry-wide transition to a circular economy while delivering sustainable circular solutions for its customers across thirty-four countries worldwide. The business has a target led Now and Next sustainability strategy, in support of its purpose of Redefining Packaging for a Changing World.