Demand for glass baby bottles surges as consumers seek natural alternative

Makers of glass baby bottles report a worldwide surge in interest following increasing publicity of health concerns around Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in many baby bottles and other hard plastic containers and in the linings of many food cans that cause potential health risks. While data is still gathered and argued, parents are acting on their own.

Glass baby bottles, replaced decades ago by unbreakable plastic are making a comeback. Growing demand for glass baby bottles by parents has already led O-I in North-America to consider the production of baby bottles after a 20 year break. A similar trend is seen in Europe. One thing is clear that consumers seek a safe choice.

Glass is a safe, natural material, which has proved its worth for over a century as the dependable companion for baby’s first nutrition. It is important to give babies a good start. Made from simple ingredients, such as sand, soda ash and limestone, glass is totally inert and impermeable. This means there is no opportunity for anything to leach from the packaging into the product. Glass is natural and chemical-free. The natural composition of glass means that it can be recycled over and over again with no loss in quality and purity.

Dominique Tombeur, Vice President of Marketing and Communication for O-I Europe, one of the continent’s leading glass bottle suppliers, says, “While we support breastfeeding as undoubtedly the best option, many mothers are not able to feed their baby in this way. Glass has been trusted by generations of mothers and can be the safe choice for generations to come.”

Modern consumer predilection for organic, natural healthy food and drink for all ages has also led some manufacturers to turn back to glass. Viivika Remmel, O-I marketing manager for Food Industry Sector in Europe says, “The food packaged in glass tastes the way nature intended. Why take a chance with anything else?”