An apparatus for bundling containers includes a linear conveyor, a guide element, conveying elements, and application elements, each of which applies adhesive to a portion of a container surface, The conveying elements are driven and controllable to travel along the conveyor and to circulate along the guide element. Each conveying element has a container guide that rotates relative to the conveying element. The guide element has a feed strand with central, transition, and end sections that merge into each other. The central section is further from the central axis than the end section. The distance from end section to central axis is such that containers circulating on the end section are brought into contact with adhesive on a surface of an adjacent container.