A wine bottle made entirely from Australian-sourced 100 percent recycled PET plastic is helping to reshape the carbon footprint of wine by targeting the industry’s environmental hotspot, the glass bottle.
In a collaboration between Packamama and Accolade Wines and Taylors Wines, eco-bottles of Banrock Station wines and Taylors’ One Small Step range are for sale exclusively through select Liquorland and First Choice Liquor Market stores.
The launch marks the Australian market debut of the eco-bottles.
With a nod to tradition, Packamama’s innovative eco-bottle shares the classic high-shouldered silhouette of a traditional Bordeaux wine bottle.
But when turned to the side, it reveals a slimmer, flatter profile that allows twice as many bottles to fit in a standard wine case – which means it’s much more efficient to transport.
Using recycled PET also saves weight and with the bottles being 83 percent lighter, emissions in transport are reduced as well as the energy in production and recycling to further tackle greenhouse gas emissions.
The freight-friendly bottle has the potential to significantly reduce the road transport burden and emissions for wine in Australia.
Were both Accolade and Taylors to switch entirely to eco-bottles, it would cut 250,000km of road freight a year or the equivalent of a semi-trailer travelling from Melbourne to Broome 50 times.
And when customers are finished with their Banrock Station and One Small Step Wines, the empty bottle is fully recyclable.
While the shape of the eco-bottle is a departure from the traditional round wine bottle, Packamama’s chief executive and founder Santiago Navarro is confident the time is right for Australian winemakers to respectfully challenge a couple of centuries of tradition.
“Australia is globally recognised as a leader in wine packaging thanks to break-through innovations, including bag-in-box casks and screwtop caps for wines, and we are highly motivated to launch our climate-friendly bottle at Coles with Accolade Wines and Taylors Wines,” Mr Navarro says.
“Coles’ ambition to be Australia’s most sustainable retailer is powerfully aligned with our ambition to deliver the world’s most scalable, sustainable bottle.”
Mia Lloyd, Coles Liquor acting general manager Customer, Trade Planning & Insights, says it is exciting to be at the leading edge of packaging innovation with the eco-bottle.
“We know our customers want us to do more in relation to sustainability and this exclusive collaboration with Liquorland, First Choice Liquor Market, Packamama, Taylors Wines and Accolade Wines significantly reduces the carbon footprint of wine for customers every day. The lightweight and flatter eco-bottle also gives our customers a convenient new option when they’re packing for that camping or caravan holiday,” Ms Lloyd says.
Accolade Wines, who launched the eco-flat bottle two years ago in Europe, is on a mission to improve the sustainability of the wine industry and has ambitious targets to advance circular economy packaging across its entire portfolio.
“In the last 18 months alone, we have launched a variety of sustainable and innovative packaging solutions including wine in cans, wine on tap, bagnums, as well as a world-first circular, sustainable packaging solution for on-premise partners,” says Sandy Mayo, Accolade Wines Global chief marketing officer.
“We chose Banrock Station to launch the eco bottle in Australia because the environmental credentials fit perfectly with the brand’s 25 year sustainability heritage and its commitment to forging a more sustainable future for the planet. By purchasing Banrock Station wine, wine-lovers can rest assured that they are doing something positive for the environment while enjoying delicious, sustainably-made wine from South Australia,” Ms Mayo says.
The potential for the eco wine bottle to improve the carbon footprint for winemaking is important for Taylors Wines particularly given that viticulture is one of the most climate-sensitive agricultural businesses.
But it’s not just the environmental credentials of this bottle that set it apart – the lighter, unbreakable recycled PET plastic bottle is much more convenient for picnics or popping in the esky on holiday.
Taylors third-generation winemaker and managing director Mitchell Taylor says the eco-bottle delivers a more sustainable bottle for consumers and provides another way for wineries to improve their carbon footprint.
“We know that Australian wine drinkers are very open to innovation when it provides real benefits, like this sustainable eco-bottle does,” Mr Taylor says.
“Australia led the global change from cork to screwcap and Taylors was the first major producer to bottle all our wines under the closure.
“We believe Australians will again lead in adopting this more sustainable bottle.”
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