Digitally traceable reusable glass bottles win German Packaging Award

A collaborative project developed by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Deutschland (CCEP DE), Vetropack and Myneral Labs has received the German Packaging Award 2026 in the Digitalisation category for a system that enables individual reusable glass bottles to be digitally tracked throughout their lifecycle.

According to the companies, the process is the first of its kind within the beverage industry and has been introduced for 0.75-litre ViO and Apollinaris glass bottles.

The project is currently operating at CCEP DE's production facility in Bad Neuenahr and has recently been extended to a second site in Lüneburg, allowing reusable bottle inventories to be digitally monitored.

Each glass bottle is engraved with a unique Data Matrix code during manufacture by Vetropack, creating an individual digital identity. AI-powered camera systems supplied by Myneral Labs read the code each time the bottle passes through the production line, generating a digital record throughout its service life.

The data collected enables producers to identify how many times a bottle has been filled, as well as when and why it has been removed from circulation. According to the project partners, this replaces traditional estimation methods with individual bottle-level data, supporting more accurate inventory planning and management.

With serialisation, we are connecting the physical bottle to the digital world. For the first time, we are able to track how our containers move through use cycles on an individual bottle basis. This helps us use resources more purposefully and design processes more efficiently.

Maika Seidler, Senior Manager Digital Innovation & Experimentation at CCEP DE.

The combination of material expertise and digital solutions opens up new possibilities within the reuse cycle. Serialisation enables us to lay the foundation for long-term, future-proof optimisations.

Erich Jaquemar, Key Account Manager at Vetropack.

Vetropack is responsible for applying the engraved Data Matrix codes during glass production, while Myneral Labs provides the AI-based camera technology and data analysis software. CCEP DE manages the implementation of the system within its production operations.

The solution was developed following Myneral Labs' success in CCEP DE's Open Challenge innovation initiative, with the three organisations working together to complete the proof-of-concept phase.