A container holding device for holding one or more containers includes: a base plate having an upper surface, a bottom surface, and one or more holes each extending from the upper surface to the bottom surface and having a central symmetry axis Laxis orthogonal to the base plate; and two or more holding elements that are located around each hole beneath the bottom surface of the base plate. The holding elements are configured to: contact an outer surface of a container that is placed into the container holding device at a bottom edge of a top region of the container, such that the container hangs in the container holding device in a first position p1 in which the holding elements do not exert any force on the outer surface of the container that is radial; and contact the outer surface of the container in a shoulder region.