IT'S said beer tastes better from a glass stubby, and now, apparently, glass bottles also work wonders for the flavour of milk.
In the dairy industry, plastic has rendered the glass milk bottle merely a memory, but according to the world's largest glass bottle manufacturer, milk drinkers want a taste of nostalgia.
A new consumer survey by Owens-Illinois revealed 50 per cent of plain-milk buyers and 51 per cent of flavoured-milk buyers found the concept of milk packaged in glass bottles appealing.
The research also showed 42 per cent of plain-milk buyers and 28 per cent of flavoured-milk buyers believed milk would taste better in glass.
O-I Australia general manager Brian Slingsby said the survey of 600 people aged 25-54 examined the habits of Australian milk buyers and the attitudes of consumers towards milk in glass bottles.
However, the price of glass was not mentoned in the survey.
"For some time we have recognised there is a gap in the milk market in terms of the packaging available," Mr Slingsby said.
"Australians love a comeback and we expect to see the application of glass packaging across a number of milk brands in the near future.
The survey also found 58 per cent of plain-milk buyers said the fact glass could be recycled was a benefit and 46 per cent of flavoured-milk buyers said glass would keep milk colder for longer.
Glass packaging was also a benefit for consumers with an eye for quality.
"Clarity with milk is extremely important," Mr Slingsby said. "They are able to see the quality of the production within the package."
In response to the research O-I has launched a 750ml glass bottle for the milk industry.
Mr Slingsby said there was "a good degree of interest" in glass and he believed boutique dairies could be the first to pick up the new glass bottles.
The bottle has been designed to fit standard Australian and New Zealand milk crates.
Australian Dairy Industry Council president Wes Judd said particular packaging appealed to different sectors of the community and age groups.
"The packaging of milk has evolved over a long period of time," Mr Judd said. 'I'm sure if it is available and out there a certain section of the community would it appreciate it."
