Lightening the load
28 05 2008
In 50 years’ time, Berrys believes wine is unlikely to be sold in glass bottles. Using glass will be unrealistic as retailers and importers try to cut costs, waste, and reduce the environmental impact of wine being shipped around the globe.
The average weight of a wine bottle is 500g, but there have been recent moves to produce more lightweight bottles.
Berrys believes the cost and environmental impact of shipping pre-bottled wine around the world means, in the future, we’re likely to see ‘wine tankers’ crossing our oceans. Bulk shipments of wine could arrive, before being put into plastic or reinforced cardboard containers in a bid to reduce environmental emissions and create a domestic bottling industry.
“I see a far greater range of packaging on the shelves in 2058. Cartons will be the obvious choice for much of the wine and will dominate the shelves for the mass market. Variety will be greater – we’re already seeing 500 ml and 1 litre options. Cartons will mean far more tailoring to consumption and branding opportunities for big brands.”
Ian Williamson, Tetra Pak UK
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Wine will increasingly be sold in cartons, already from next year - for the sake of the wine and the environment!
Mr. Cartonall
And I think the likelihood of bottles being replaced cartons is as likely as your previous vision of sommeliers carrying their own personal bee.
What we are seeing is a move to use environmental issues to cut costs to producers/middle men/retaillers usually without passing on any savings to the consumer.
If the industry was so proud of bulk shipping and consumers so welcoming of it we’d be seeing the address and country of the bottlers on the label in full, rather than the weasily EU bottlers code that is used.
If its not bottled by the winery, I won’t buy it..
I know all about the environmental issues but can you honestly see wine NOT in a bottle?
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