Hy to lighten 'Wil' bottle cap by 16%, cutting 52 tons of plastic a year

Hy announced Thursday that it will reduce the outer cap of its flagship brand Helicobacter Project Wil by 16%.

The change applies to three products — Wil Original, Low-Fat and Sugar Balance — with the redesigned cap to be rolled out in phases from mid-August. The key goal is to cut plastic use while maintaining existing quality standards. The new cap structure was also engineered to ensure safe drinking for consumers. The process, from package design to production, took about two years.

Hy expects the new cap to reduce plastic use by about 52 tons annually. Last year, the company removed the lid and lightened the container of its microbiome brand MPRO. Starting in September, it also plans to cut the container weight of its Acerola Vitamin Shot by 11%. The combined annual plastic reduction across the three brands will reach 160 tons, hy said.

"The Wil package improvement is the result of our efforts to reduce plastic use while preserving the product's safety and quality," said Kwon Min-jeong, head of hy's design team. "We will continue working to apply eco-friendly elements across a wider range of products."

Meanwhile, hy has been expanding its resource recycling and energy conservation efforts. The company recycles about 155 tons of waste plastic annually, including used empty bottles. Through employee-led activities, it is also working to reduce energy consumption and single-use product use.