Australia – A new exhibition at Hugo Michell Gallery in Australia is shedding light on existing views around packaging, and questioning the potential of waste products.

Designed by Adelaide-based industrial design duo Daniel Emma, the exhibition positions packaging as memorabilia and prompts new ways of thinking about often discarded objects. For example, a water bottle is re-invented in an oak, acrylic and aluminium structure, while a tennis ball is displayed with an adornment of sapphires.

Comprising 16 items – from a five dollar note pack to a resin envelope – the featured pieces also evoke a sense of nostalgia. The result is lighthearted and experimental, allowing viewers to question and reconsider the potential of everyday items, rather than acting as a way of challenging unsustainable practices. Reflecting on the exhibition, the duo says: ‘Packaging is quite often just a throwaway item. It is what is inside that is celebrated, which is such a shame!’

As brands continue to focus on eco-alternative packaging, they’re also taking the opportunity to upgrade their aesthetics and spark pleasure in everyday items. For more, read Refined Refillables.

Research by Nielsen has shown that zero- and low-alcohol beer sales have driven growth in the UK beer category as a whole. Without these sales, the market would be struggling to meet its targets. Despite only representing 1.6% of the total beer category, up from 1.3% in 2019, sales in the No-lo beer sector grew by £15.2m ($17.5m, €16.3m) in the year to January 2020.

This clear interest in sober-curious drinking by UK consumers is not limited to Dry January, with people also opting for non-alcoholic beers throughout the year as a way to mitigate the health concerns associated with alcohol consumption.

Although we’ve identified a number of drinks companies offering alternatives to wine and spirits – as seen in Low-proof Drinkers – there is still an opportunity for brands to cater for the increasingly sober tastes of beer drinkers.