Waitrose cans small bottles from the wine aisle
Waitrose has announced it is to replace the majority of its small wine bottles with aluminium cans in a bid to curb the carbon footprint of its packaging.
The supermarket said that the change would save over 300 tonnes of glass packaging.
From 15th January, the majority of small wine formats (apart from Champagne. Prosecco and Cava, and Rioja, due to appellation restrictions) will be moved from glass bottles to aluminium cans as part of the retailers ambition to reduce their carbon footprint.
The move, a UK first for the retail sector, will cover all small formats sold in Waitrose’s 331 stores across England, Scotland, Wales, and the Channel Islands.
Barry Dick, MW, Beer, Wine and Spirit Bulk Sourcing Manager at Waitrose comments: “We’re delighted to pioneer this move and make reducing waste even easier for our customers. Aluminium cans weigh significantly less than glass and create less than half the amount of CO2 than the equivalent single-use glass bottle, cans can also be recycled an infinite number of times.
“We know that more people are buying their drinks in canned formats from cocktails on the go to craft beer which is why making this shift in our wine category makes so much sense. Picking up a can of wine is a great way to enjoy wine in moderation, especially if you’re heading to a picnic or a social occasion, it also enables customers to try a new variety without worrying about wastage or cost. We hope the move will encourage suppliers to continue to develop a diverse and exciting range of wines in cans.”
