Alternative packaging
Bag-in-box, can and PET for the right segment.
For wines for near-term drinking and no ageing, formats such as bag-in-box, can and PET dramatically reduce the packaging footprint versus glass, on top of the shipped weight.
They do not replace glass in every segment, but for a growing share of the market they are the biggest reduction available. The decision is about positioning and channel, not only technical.
Effort
Medium — new line/format and repositioning.
Cost
Variable — can lower packaging cost per litre.
Time to result
On introducing the new format.
Which emissions it cuts
Reduction potential by source — click through for detail and metrics.
Packaging
Replacing glass with lighter materials sharply cuts the largest footprint source in the right segment.
Time horizon: Immediate
What to measure for this pairing
Transport & distribution
Lower weight per litre reduces transport emissions, especially over long distribution.
Time horizon: Immediate
What to measure for this pairing
How it works
Lighter, less-intensive materials than glass reduce manufacturing and transport emissions per litre of wine.
How to implement
- 1Identify the SKUs suited to alternative formats.
- 2Assess bag-in-box, can or PET by channel and market.
- 3Communicate the environmental benefit to the consumer.
- 4Log the material and recompute the footprint.
What to measure
Frequently asked
Do they work for age-worthy wines?
Mostly no — they suit wines for near-term drinking. (Light) glass remains for age-worthy and premium wines.
Are cans and PET recyclable?
Aluminium is highly recyclable; PET is recyclable too. Bag-in-box has mixed components, but its footprint per litre is usually among the lowest.