Abu Dhabi: Al Ain Water, the UAE’s leading water brand, has announced the launch of its new water bottle, which is made of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET). The new 100 percent rPET bottle is the first to be produced locally by a UAE brand.
The launch of Al Ain Water’s 100 percent rPET bottle builds on an agreement signed between Agthia Group, Veolia Middle East subsidiary Repeet, and environmental management group BEEAH. The agreement accelerates PET collection, recycling, and rPET manufacturing, in line with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology’s (MoIAT) recent ministerial decree regulating the manufacturing and trade of recycled plastic water bottles.
PET is a highly recyclable plastic material, and after recycling it, it becomes rPET, a strong, durable, and infinitely recyclable material that is commonly used for packaged foods and drinks.
We have been in active conversations with the UAE government and other stakeholders to develop a system for the collecting, recycling, and reuse of PET-based packaging. We are delighted that these efforts are bearing fruit and today Al Ain, Agthia’s flagship water brand, is pioneering this initiative by introducing a 100 per cent rPET bottle to the market and is actively supporting the UAE’s transition towards a circular economy.
Mr. Alan Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Agthia Group, shared.
“Sustainability is increasingly influencing the purchase decision in the UAE. With growing awareness, consumers are looking for ways to reduce their environmental footprint and searching for products that help them achieve this. The fact that Al Ain is the first UAE water brand to fill this gap in the market is a true testament to its market leadership. A universally essential commodity, such as bottled water, delivered in sustainable packaging can have a substantial influence on reducing plastic waste in the UAE, contributing directly to the UAE’s efforts to reach Net Zero by 2050, particularly during the Year of Sustainability,” the CEO added.
According to Global Standards, rPET generates 75 percent less CO2 emissions, requires less energy compared to virgin PET production, and has a better overall ecological balance than glass and single-use aluminium cans.
Al Ain Water has a growing range of sustainably packaged water bottles, including the Middle East’s first 100 percent plant-based water bottle that is completely biodegradable and compostable within 80 days.
Since its launch in 2020, demand for Al Ain’s plant bottle has risen by 75 percent year-on-year among its business customers, particularly in the hospitality and F&B sectors, which shows huge demand in the UAE for products with superior sustainability credentials.