You Won't See Plastic Pourers In Bacardi Bottles Anymore. Here's Why

In 2015, the U.N. laid out an ambitious 15-year plan to "end poverty, protect the planet, and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere" by the year 2030, per the U.N. Dubbed the Sustainable Development Agenda, the plan calls on individuals, world leaders, and businesses within the U.N. Member States to work toward 17 goals designed to give way to just that. In 2019, the plan kicked off a Decade of Action that, among other things, inspired droves of businesses in Washington D.C., and elsewhere to do away with plastic straws, per the U.N. That ban came with its fair share of criticism, including the argument that straws are a necessary tool for many people with disabilities, says NPR.

Nevertheless, businesses have continued to rethink their use of plastic over the years. In 2022, Coors made a huge change to its packaging by eliminating its plastic six-pack rings, Planters reduced the plastic in its peanut jars by 8%, and Sprite retired its signature green bottles to make its packaging more recyclable, per Food & Wine. According to a recent Waste Dive report, other big companies like Coca-Cola and Amazon have also vowed to reduce their use of plastic. Now, the spirit company Bacardi is doing its part by 86'ing those plastic pourer spouts used behind bar counters.  

If you've ever ordered a shot of Bacardi, chances are your bartender poured it through a plastic spout attachment called a Non-Refillable Fitment (NRF), though most people just call it a "pourer." According to a statement cited by Food & Wine, Bacardi plans to eliminate these pourers from its bottles across the continental U.S., Canada, Spain, and Portugal, saving an annual 140 tons of plastic waste. The brand's vice president of global safety, quality, and sustainability states that the move is "a huge step towards achieving our commitment to being 100% plastic free by 2030." 

Bacardi says that its pourers will be out of the picture by early 2023. Per Business Wire, the spirit brand is reviewing other extraneous plastic parts in its packaging and exploring whether or not they can be "replaced with a more sustainable alternative." What's more, Bacardi plans to remove all single-use plastic from its gift bundles and "point-of-sale materials" by next year.