The author's opinions and comments concerning the use of plastic containers for beer are presented. The plastic most widely used, PET, is highly permeable to gases, leading to a fairly rapid onset of both oxidative deterioration and loss of carbonation. Although various combinations of PET with more or less impermeable gas barrier materials (sometimes supplemented by oxygen scavenging substances) are available, the shelf life of beer in such containers still tends to be shorter than that of the same beer in cans or glass bottles. Furthermore, there is the possibility that constituents of the plastic may migrate into the beer (possibly with detrimental effects on consumers' health and certainly with a serious impact on the beer brand's reputation if it becomes publicly known) or, conversely, that beer constituents (such as flavouring compounds) may be lost through being taken up by the plastic. The author suggests that plastic bottles may be suitable for cheap "commodity" beers, which are intended for mass marketing with a rapid turnover and consumption very soon after purchasing, so that their short shelf life is nevertheless sufficient. However, glass bottles are likely to remain the preferred form of small containers for higher quality beers aimed at the more discerning consumer.
