Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., has introduced the Design for Recycling Resolution to promote product design that maximizes recyclability, recognizing the recycling industry's significant economic and environmental contributions. The resolution, co-sponsored by Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., and Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., highlights the industry's role in creating jobs, generating revenue and conserving resources, and has garnered support from organizations including the Glass Packaging Institute.

Whiskey maker Brown-Forman has surpassed quarterly sales expectations, driven by strong demand in emerging markets such as Brazil and Turkey, as well as travel retail growth. The company maintained its annual forecasts but noted challenges in the US market, where higher living costs and economic uncertainty have dampened demand for premium alcohol. Brown-Forman's restructuring plan aims to offset these challenges. 

Gatorade is reintroducing its glass bottles for the first time since they were discontinued in the 1990s. The retro bottles are part of a special 1987 Hawkins Capsule collection and feature a Lemon-Lime flavor with a collectible logo inspired by the Upside Down. Fans have expressed nostalgia online, recalling the unique feel of Gatorade in glass bottles. This limited release offers a rare opportunity for collectors and longtime fans to own a piece of Gatorade history.

Traditional table wine sales in the United States have continued a downward trend, falling nearly 7% in September year-over-year to $1.2 billion. Over the past 52 weeks, table wine sales value dropped nearly 6% to $17.2 billion, with sales volume also down more than 6% to 153 million cases. This decline was led by falling sales of glass-bottled wines, which make up the bulk of the category.

Anheuser-Busch InBev plans to acquire an 85% stake in BeatBox for $490 million, with an option to buy the remaining 15% after five years. The deal, expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, is envisioned to enhance AB InBev's "Beyond Beer" portfolio amid declining alcohol consumption.

The World's Tallest Glass Tree Festival in Williams Bay, Wis., is partnering with the Glass Packaging Institute's Don't Trash Glass initiative to promote recycling and sustainability. The festival allows visitors to participate in building a 36-foot glass tree using molten recycled glass, with last year's event using over 3,000 pounds of glass.

The Wyckoff family has acquired Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Washington state's largest wine producer, from Sycamore Partners. The deal includes all Washington brands, facilities and vineyards, while Sycamore retains Oregon brands. "This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the Wyckoff family," said Court Wyckoff, CEO of Wyckoff Farms and Coventry Vale Winery. "We've been an integral part of the Ste. Michelle family for over 40 years."

Tequila Corrido, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., emphasizes sustainability by partnering with highland agave farms that practice crop rotation and soil preservation. The company repurposes bagasse as compost and collaborates with Mexican manufacturers to use recycled glass for bottles, minimizing carbon footprint.

Plastic recycling in the US has failed, with recycling rates halving since 2014, according to a Greenpeace USA report. The report asserts that major corporations such as Coca-Cola and Nestle have retracted sustainability commitments and invested in disinformation campaigns to maintain single-use plastic reliance. The report also highlights that only a fifth of common plastics are recyclable, and only 46 of 380 municipal recycling facilities can process these plastics.

Glass is gaining popularity as a sustainable alternative to plastic, with companies such as Coca-Cola and Heineken shifting to glass bottles in response to consumer demand for eco-friendly packaging. Glass is inert, durable and indefinitely recyclable, but its weight poses a challenge for transportation emissions, so increasing reuse and recycling rates is crucial.

Commodity prices for materials recovery facilities in the northeastern US fell in Q3, with average blended commodity value down 21.9% without residuals and 27.24% with residuals, according to the Northeast Recycling Council. Glass and "special case of bulky rigids" were the only materials whose prices rose.

Glass was one of only two commodities with an average commodity price that increased as per the Northeast Recycling Council report. Click here for full details.

Chobani is facing a class-action lawsuit alleging false advertising after third-party testing by PlasticList found four types of phthalates in its yogurt. The lawsuit claims that Chobani misled consumers by advertising its yogurt as containing only natural ingredients.

Glass packaging appeals to consumers' desire to explore what they are buying before they complete their purchases, along with their growing need to understand what is going to happen to packaging in the long run, writes Glass Packaging Institute President Scott DeFife. The business case for incorporating glass packaging is solid, strengthening credibility while contributing to the bottom line. "By choosing glass, companies show not only what is inside their products but who they are as stewards of quality, honesty, and sustainability," writes DeFife.