With consumers more conscious then ever about stretching their food dollar (and not their waistline), Coke has incorporated a resealable feature into its ever-popular 330mL can. Consumers remove a tamper-evident adhesive label to access a rotating plastic disk. The disk releases pressure from the can when first turned and can be easily rotated back into place to reclose the can when the consumer has enjoyed his fill of the carbonated beverage. Black type on a yellow band is litho-printed across the top of the can to call attention to the reclosability feature (“wiederverschliessbar!”) while a graphic below illustrates how to operate the new feature.

One of the strongest attributes of good design is that it can elevate the everyday to an art form. Nowhere is that more apparent than in U.K. retailer Waitrose’s line of canned vegetables and pasta: each food staple (beans, veggies and pasta) is shot in beautiful detail against rich, complementary backgrounds. The minimalist front panel features cleverly styled product photography along with the Waitrose name and product identification and is refreshingly free of product claims and other noise. Package design: Turner Duckworth (www.turnerduckworth.com).

As of January of 2008, all of innocent drinks’ fruit smoothie recipes are packaged in 100 percent recycled PET bottles. To celebrate the milestone, innocent’s logo will change color and shape to resemble the well-known green recycling symbol. Says Jessica Sansom, sustainability manager at innocent, “We created this special label as we really want to make everyone aware of the benefits that moving to recycled bottles has had for us and to encourage everyone out there to take a look at what they can do to reduce their carbon footprint.” The limited-edition label can be seen on store shelves for the last two weeks of February. The new bottles are fully recyclable at the end of life and use 20 percent less plastic overall than the brand’s original packaging.

Persil Non-Bio Liquigel Fabric Wash has taken a page from wine packaging for its innovative 7.5L pack. The bag-in-box package is designed to sit on the edge of a counter top or cupboard and is dispensed through a twist-button tap dispenser directly into the washing machine. Other convenience features include an integrated carry handle and measuring dose ball. The package’s environmental impact has not been overlooked either; careful design has ensured the minimum use of materials to reduce overall packaging weight and costs. The box is manufactured from recycled cardboard and all materials are fully recyclable. Offered to the professional market, each package contains enough detergent for 100 washes.

B_E_E’s smart green household cleaning products combine aesthetic, functional and ethical excellence with an aspirational attitude toward life and the planet. Developed and produced in New Zealand for the world, B_E_E products use the most scientifically advanced plant-based ingredients, are made to the highest international safety and performance standards and carry the New Zealand Environmental Choice accreditation. Labels on the translucent bottles deliver humorous brand messaging (“I’m one tough little squirt” proclaims the “gutsy concentrate” laundry detergent) in bold, all caps sans serif type.

Venezuelan beer brand Polar has introduced Zero, a low alcohol content beer targeted toward active, social men and women that want a refreshing beer but don’t need full alcohol content for enjoyment. Polar selected a 300mL flint glass bottle from O-I Venezuela (www.o-i.com) that features a curved design. The non-returnable bottle has a paper label and is finished with a twist crown that bears the bar code and the brand ZERO. Initial market testing has been positive, with purchase intentions of more than 85 percent. Polar launched the new beer in Caracas in December 2007 with distribution through restaurants, supermarkets and liquor stores.