Industry leaders of the keg supply chain found international non-profit organisation for circular economy

The mission of the Steel Keg Association is the global promotion of reusable stainless steel kegs for the brewing and beverage industry and the associated support of efficient recycling management. As a worldwide interest group, it represents the needs of the players in the global keg supply chain to the beverage industry and catering sector.

Stainless steel kegs are a decisive competitive advantage for the specialised trade as well as the catering industry. Their ecological footprint is small: decades of multiple use, transport safety, consistently high quality standards, branding possibilities as well as sustainability through complete recycling at the end of their life cycle distinguish them. For economic reasons,too, these containers have become indispensable in the marketing of beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks.

The Steel Keg Association's educational campaigns will initially focus on the US sales market and will be extended to Great Britain and Western Europe in the course of 2022. Among other things, their marketing programmes are based on a recent ISO-14040 life cycle analysis by consultancy firm Deloitte.

"Compared to disposable containers, stainless steel kegs save more than 400,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases in the US and prevent around 500,000 tonnes of packaging from ending up in landfills each year," explains Kyle Tanger, managing director in Deloitte's environmental sustainability practice. Similar reports come from other markets.

"We are very excited to join forces with leading companies in the keg supply chain to jointly represent our interests to the beverage industry and consumers. In addition, by founding the new Steel Keg Association, of which we are a founding member, we can communicate the many advantages of stainless steel kegs more intensively worldwide," explains Tobias Wirth, Sales Manager of SCHÄFER Container Systems, KEG.