Our actions towards ZERO

Read case stories from around the world and find out what we’re doing to achieve our ZERO ambitions.

Snap. An innovation to reduce plastic

To reduce plastic waste and lower the CO_² impact of our multipacks, in 2018 we introduced our new Snap Pack. It uses an innovative glue technology to hold multipacks together, you just have to snap the cans apart. Compared to traditional packaging, the Snap Pack will cut plastic usage by 50-76%.

Major efficiency gains in China

In 2018 our Chinese breweries delivered the greatest results from our Group-wide efficiency-drive. Since 2015, thermal energy efficiency improved by more than 29%, electricity by almost 11%, resulting in a strong 37% reduction in relative carbon emissions. Further, the relative water consumption was reduced by 15%. The rapid progress was the combined result of several factors.

Preventing underage drinking sales in Ukraine

Our beers are brewed to be enjoyed by people above the legal drinking age, so we’re working hard to prevent sales to younger people. One of the many initiatives in 2018 included a campaign by Carlsberg Ukraine. On Global Beer Responsibility Day (14 September 2018), they tackled underage drinking by targeting shops and parents, raising awareness of this issue.

Challenging convention with PU:REST

PU:REST is a first for Sweden: a beer brewed with purified waste water. May 2018 saw the launch of this crystal-clear pilsner, brewed using purified waste water. It is challenging consumers’ preconceived notions and demonstrating how waste water technology can help solve future world water shortages.

Alcohol free 'Birell' launched in Bulgaria and Poland

May 2018 saw the launch of Birell, a new alcohol-free beer (AFB) to increase consumer choice. Launched in two styles, Pilsner Lager and Belgian Wit, the brand made its debut in Bulgaria and Poland before a roll out planned for 2020. It was developed in response to strong consumer demand, following continued category growth over the past 10 years.

Reducing carbon emissions in Serbia with biomass

Carlsberg Serbia’s Čelarevo brewery has made progress towards our target of eliminating carbon emissions at our breweries with the introduction of a new biomass boiler.

Jovo Vujcic, direktor proizvodnje pivare u Celarevu.jpg

Our Life Saving Rules

In 2018, we rolled out our new Life Saving Rules programme across the global business. Built on industry experience, it targets the areas where people’s lives can be endangered if rules are not followed correctly. This initiative is already deeply impacting the whole organisation.

Information in hand

Consumers have a right to know what’s in our beers and we’re proud to show them. That’s why we are providing information on ingredients and nutritional values per 100ml in the easiest place to find it – on our packaging.

Creating impact by using real life stories

As well as formal approaches to embedding a health and safety culture across the Carlsberg Group, a number of initiatives in 2018 contributed to raising awareness. In Russia, the life of technician Denis Smirnov was tragically changed by a workplace accident at our St Petersburg brewery more than ten years ago. The documentary Blade was created to tell his dramatic story.

Nepal enlists celebrity help

Gorka Brewery in Nepal featured Jitu, a popular comic actor, in posters and shareable videos to help cultivate a ZERO accidents culture. Supporting training sessions, the engaging celebrity spoke about health and safety issues to resonate with employees.

Our first carbon neutral brewery

After many years of working to increase efficiency and reduce impacts, Carlsberg’s Falkenberg brewery in Sweden has succeeded in getting carbon emissions from thermal energy and electricity down to zero. The brewery is now 100% powered by biogas and green electricity, providing inspiration to breweries around the world.

Tuborg Beer Plugs

Studies show that loud music leads to people drinking more, and faster, which can be particularly true at music festivals. That’s why Tuborg created Beer Plugs - helping festival-goers to slow their drinking and better enjoy the music and their beer.

Going for 1.5°C

The main goal of the Paris Agreement is to keep the global temperature rise this century well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with a stretch target of 1.5°C. At Carlsberg, we’ve risen to the challenge, aligning our own targets with the higher ambition level.

Probably the most climate-friendly bar in the world

Consumer awareness is key to making sustainable progress, and we’re doing our bit to explain this in a fun and engaging way. Our ZERO Carbon Windmill Bar is fully powered by an integrated windmill, and a special bicycle that consumers can use to generate the power needed to cool their beer!

Carlsberg Young Scientists Community

Game-changing innovation is needed to eliminate carbon emissions and reduce water waste - for the benefit of our business and the wider world. But where will it come from? Our Carlsberg Young Scientists Community will be cooperating with our supply chain organisation, partners and academic institutions to explore and apply new technologies.

A step closer to 100% renewable electricity

In 2018, our use of electricity from renewable sources such as biomass, biogas, solar power and renewable energy certificates (with guarantees of origin) reached a total of 46%, which is an increase of 1% compared to 2017.

Cooling, the natural way

During the winter months, our Baltika breweries in Samara, Khabarovsk, Novosibirsk, and Yaroslavl in Russia are using dry and free cooling refrigeration systems to reduce their energy consumption.

Keeping cool

We rely on the refrigerants - used in fridges and with draught equipment - to keep beer cool. Cooling currently makes up 9% of our carbon footprint. To reduce this figure and support the development of more environmentally friendly technology, we are switching to low-climate impact refrigerants and cooling.

Tackling drink cycling in Denmark

Research shows that one in four Danish cycling accidents involves alcohol. That’s why we partnered with the Danish road safety council and a Copenhagen-based taxi company, to raise awareness about the problem.

Water risk assessment with WWF

As water scarcity becomes a pressing problem for more communities globally, we partnered with WWF to identify which of our sites are in water-scarce areas.

Thoroughly Moderne in Paris

How do you encourage responsible drinking without spoiling the consumers’ fun? Supported by social organisation Groupe SOS and sponsored by Kronenbourg, La Moderne, a new concept bar in France, has developed some bright ideas about this.