More Strength, Less Plastic

In 2023, we rolled out a multi-year development plan code-named Sugar Ray.

The plan resulted in the redesign of our large format Ready To Use bottles for 30 products, including Ortho Home Defense, Bug-B-Gon, and Ortho GroundClear. The design objectives included a consumer and manufacturing-friendly, lighter weight package with maintained or improved strength and performance.

“In the end, we had a new bottle with optimized geometry, a more ergonomic handle and an expanded label panel for consumer information,” says Brad Schultz, senior research principal.  “More importantly, these new bottles arrived at stores with an average of 10% less plastic resin than previous designs.” The bottle redesign was made possible by improving the manufacturing processes at both our supplier and internal manufacturing plants, optimizing energy use and by reducing scrap and waste. 

Additionally, the closure that accompanies our large ready-to-use offerings was redesigned to be more intuitive and easy-to-use, while reducing the overall component weight by 20% compared to the previous design.

Once fully implemented across our product lines, the redesign will reduce our use of High Density Polyethylene plastic resin by 1.24 million pounds, while delivering a robust, high quality consumer friendly packaging solution. 

About ScottsMiracle-Gro
With approximately $3.6 billion in sales, the Company is the world’s largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company’s brands are among the most recognized in the industry. The Company’s Scotts®, Miracle-Gro®, and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, The Hawthorne Gardening Company, is a leading provider of nutrients, lighting, and other materials used in the indoor and hydroponic growing segment. For additional information, visit us at www.scottsmiraclegro.com.