Does the use of PET packaging help reduce energy use vs more traditional packaging?

 The use of PET in packaging significantly reduces energy demand and greenhouse emissions versus alternative materials like glass and metals. In a comprehensive study published in January 2005, GUA (Gesellschaft für umfassende Analysen GmbH)4 established that packaging beverages in PET versus glass or metal reduces energy consumption by 52% (83.2 GJ/yr in Europe alone). Greenhouse gas emissions were reduced 55% on the same basis (4.3 Million Tonnes CO2 eq/yr in Europe).
 Developments in PET resin technology and conversion equipment have reduced package weights up to 31% since the introduction of PET 25 years ago. A two-litre preform that weighed 68 gms in 1980 now weighs 47 gms.
PET cuts the transportation energy used in the global food supply chain in half. The total transportation energy (required to deliver packaging to filler and from filler to retailers) for an average kg PET in the form of beverage packaging is 13.7 MJ diesel compared to 25.4 MJ per kg substituted PET for the average glass beverage packaging.