The Co-operative’s ‘yob-proof’ bottle

Imagine, if you will, the sight of blood dripping from your face and shattered glass lying across the ground. Imagine, if you will, the pain you are in as you try desperately to stem the bleeding.

I don’t have to imagine – I have been in this situation before, where glass from a shattered bottle of WKD shaved part of my eyebrow (which still hasn’t regrown) and left a lasting scar underneath. For me, it was a careless accident. For someone, it could be a vicious assault with far more serious consequences.

Glass bottles are a health hazard – both in the wrong hands and in the wrong mindset. It could be concentrating on the wrong things, or being in the wrong place in front of the wrong person at the wrong time. Either way, there is a chance, however small, that you, too, could become a victim of the glass bottle.

The Co-operative, however, have started to intoduce, I notice, ‘yob-proof’ bottles – alcohol contained inside a safer cage of plastic. The first candidate, Twydall Green patrons will notice, is The Co-operative Special Dry Imperial Vodka (35cl), retailing at ?5.99 (/shameless advertising).

The new plastic bottles are, admittedly, not a new invention. I came across them all the time in my days working at Priestfield Stadium, where all bottles must be made of plastic for safety resaons. However, it is a brilliant idea which has been met with support from customers.

One customer laughed as it was referred to as a ‘yob-proof’ bottle – before making a serious comment that it is a good – and sadly necessary – idea.

One wonders if WKD will be next in line for plastic bottles…