Affected brands will include Johnnie Walker Black Label Blended Scotch Whisky, Johnnie Walker Red Label Blended Scotch Whisky, Buchanan’s Blended Scotch Whisky, and Bell’s Original Blended Scotch Whisky said Diageo, which is one of the world's largest producers of spirits and beers.

The business said it is committed to becoming sustainable by design and has set the ambition to be zero-waste to landfill from its own operations and offices by 2030.

Following the launch of the Johnnie Walker PET-free paper-based Pulp bottle, which is due to retail in 2023, Diageo said its sustainable packaging strategy is to develop packaging for the future based on biomimicry, and designs that will be modelled on biological entities and processes, such as mycelium. It also aims to use carbon capture in the decorative design of bottles.

The company said the phased removal of cardboard gift boxes across its premium Scotch portfolio will allow consumer response to be assessed in countries all over the world and that, if successful, the programme will be expanded to more Diageo brands in 2023.

Diageo chief sustainability officer Ewan Andrew said: “Waste caused by surplus packaging is placing an unnecessary burden on the planet. Paper and cardboard are highly sustainable forms of packaging, but it is time to review what is actually needed to package a product, as opposed to packaging it that way for historical reasons.

“We believe that the liquid in our premium Scotch products is the gift. They do not always need cardboard gift boxes to enhance this.”

CPMA director Mike Ridgway told Printweek the move would result in a major loss of work for the carton producers in Scotland that produce the boxes.

“The production of single bottle folding cartons as secondary packaging has been a feature of supporting gifting for these products for years and years.

“These are products in markets around the world. Every duty-free shop has these products for sale anywhere and everywhere and this is a major strategic marketing decision by the market leader.”

He said the move also raised “a lot of questions about the consequences” on whether other drinks companies could follow suit.

“It really is a sea change within the market sector which has always jealously guarded its particular brand identity with exceptionally high quality and high added value single bottle packaging.

“In a similar way to plain packaging for tobacco, it is not only the print operations affected but suppliers of inks, varnishes, hot foil stamping materials, and of course folding cartonboard.”