A new type of plastic bottle

Canola Oil container at The Real Canadian Superstore (Loblaws)

Last week I was shopping at The Real Canadian Superstore, a big-box supercentre retailer owned by Loblaws. These stores sell everything from groceries to children's clothing. (Statistics I saw a few years ago listed the firm as the third-largest retailer of children's clothing in Canada.)

And, the onslaught of Walmart notwithstanding, Loblaws remains the largest food retailer in Canada. As a big retailer, Loblaws can exert a large amount of pressure on its suppliers. Everything is done to drive down costs and increase revenue.

In the past, large bottles like this had a moulded-in handle made of the same PETE as the bottle's body. This bottle uses a different type of plastic, and because it is not hollow and part of the bottle body, it can be stronger and more rigid. It makes me wonder what problem this new handle is solving. How does this design have a positive effect on Loblaw's bottom line?