The first association, which begs the question of what is sold in bottles, is almost the same for everyone - wine.
Although the Russians often mention vodka and beer, presenting a glass transparent bottle. Later I recall a milk bottle, one and a half liter PET with lemonade, household chemicals in plastic, sunflower oil and a solvent.
Historical excursion
Representatives of ancient civilizations used animal skins, containers hollowed out of wood, and ceramic vessels to store and transport oils and wines. The prototype of the modern bottle was, of course, the ancient Egyptian amphoras: narrow-necked vertical vessels for carrying and storing both wine and beer, and oil.
Glass containers for storing liquids began to be used more than three thousand years ago (1700 BC). Glass containers were made from quartz paste. The process was complex, time consuming and lengthy. And only when the glass-blowing tube was invented (1-2 century BC), the process became more simple. The Romans mastered the production of glass products, improving the shape and capacity of vessels.
After the 13th century, the products of Venetian masters crossed the borders of the country and became in demand everywhere where there was a need for storage and transportation of liquids, although they were quite fragile.
In the 17th century, the British patented a coal -fired kiln for burning. Glass products have become more durable, dark bottles can be fired in the oven. Winemakers immediately appreciated this and, accordingly, immediately patented the first wine bottle (1661, England).
Why glass?
The advantages of glass over clay are obvious: greater wear resistance, less brittleness, almost complete transparency. High transportability, given the low cost of the manufacturing process (a glass packaging machine was patented in 1901), has become a dominant feature in the distribution of glass containers. Hygiene, ease of washing, any density and color - these advantages were added to the main ones, and glass containers became indispensable.
What do winemakers sell in glass bottles today?
The patented wine bottle has not undergone major changes since the 17th century.
The most popular and most popular is the Bordeaux bottle, it can easily be recognized by its characteristic shoulders and concave bottom. It is used for bottling red and white wines.
For a Burgundy bottle, more sloping shoulders are characteristic, this is the second most important glass container for wines.
An elongated burgundy bottle is called a “flute,” first released in Germany.
The famous bottle for champagne was invented (according to the legend of the producer of champagne "Dom Perignon") by the monk Pierre Perignon. A feature of this container is the thickness of the walls, a special capping and a heavier bottom.
Containers for vodka and spirits
During the years of Soviet power, the inhabitants of the country did not experience inconvenience from the laconicism of the proposed forms of glass containers, into which vodka, cognac and rum were bottled. The sale of vodka was organized on the return glass: the population received dirty bottles, then the label was washed off, they were washed in special machines, only after that the bottle was again filled with vodka. Typical were the containers of transparent and dark green bottles - 0.5 liters, less often 0.25.
Today's offers of vodka producers amaze not only by the unusual content and names, but also by their form. Traditional Soviet glass bottles go by the wayside, giving way to design designs for monograms and colorful labels. Most often, packaging today is non-negotiable.
Beer: glass or PET
A traditional bottle for beer after a beer mug is a glass bottle: white, transparent, green, dark brown. Until 1970, it was glass that was in demand for filling a foamy drink.
Making a bottle of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has become an unconditional alternative to heavy glass. The weight of a plastic container for beer (and other drinks) of 0.5 liters is only 28 grams, while a glass weighs 350 grams.
Manufacturers of PET bottles include the low cost, ease of processing, aesthetics, and the ability to process the advantages of this container.
Disadvantages of PET containers
The barrier properties of PET bottles do not allow liquids to be stored in containers for a long time. This is due to the fact that smaller gas molecules (oxygen and carbon dioxide) penetrate rather easily through the chains of the high molecular weight structure of polyethylene terephthalate. It is not an obstacle for ultraviolet rays.
Therefore, the properties of carbonated drinks are changing. In Germany, bottled beer made from polyethylene terephthalate can only be used for two weeks. Domestic manufacturers set large tolerances - up to four months.
What do they sell in bottles of polyethylene terephthalate, except beer?
Pepsiko was the first company to use such containers for soft drinks. In 1974, in Novorossiysk, this company built a factory for the production of PET bottles.
The business of manufacturing such containers is considered one of the most popular and profitable: high turnover with minimal investment allows you to get a stable profit. The following example speaks of the share of the cost of a bottle in the final price: 90% of the price of a mineral water is the cost of the container itself.
In Russia at the moment, PET is in demand in the bottling of whole and sour-milk products, vegetable oils and juices. For milk and oils, the standard capacity is 0.9-1 l. Juices are available in bottles from 0.1 liter to 1 liter.
Mineral bottled water in Russia is less in demand in glass containers than in PET. This is due to both the seasonality of use and the stereotype imposed by advertising on a relatively new public product for Russians (since 1990).
Plastic and aluminum bottles: where and why
To the question: “What do they sell in plastic bottles?” - the answer is unequivocal: household chemicals, perfumes and paint and varnish industry.
It is impossible to imagine a single kitchen without bottles with various grease washers and stain removers. A huge selection of shampoos, gels, conditioners in plastic or aluminum bottles is amazing.
Automotive and building paints, enamels, colors are produced by manufacturers not only in large containers, but also for the mass buyer in plastic containers.