Friday Read: Why the UK should embrace the new labelling rules

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 30 August, 2024

Madalena Moreira, oenologist at Encirc, argues there is room for everyone in the UK wine trade to benefit from the post-Brexit bottling rules, and that the changes will not negatively impact sales of quality English sparkling wine.

UK wine is undeniably on the up. Record harvests and warmer weather have been the seeds of a huge boom in the market with the number of vineyards in England and Wales tripling in the last 20 years, according to a 2023 WineGB report. Meanwhile, English and Welsh sparkling wine continues to take its place in the pantheon of great fizz from around the world; and this sits within the wider context of a thriving beverage sector, which has developed an appetite for innovation as it explores opportunities to work smarter and greener.

As wine lovers and professionals, the team at Encirc is delighted to see English and Welsh wine thriving, and we know that it’s because there’s real appetite from British consumers, not due to a lack of third-country options. We believe that the boom in English and Welsh wine is here to stay and that the bubble won’t be burst by the relaxing of post-Brexit labelling rules.

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Under the new status quo, imported wine that is ‘finished’ – carbonated or sweetened, for example – in the UK could be labelled as wine from its country of origin. This innovation in technology is not ring-fenced for imported wine however, and the new finishing options give customers from the UK and across the globe a better customer offering from manufacturers.

The prospect of manufacturers being able to do more will also facilitate new opportunities for both the local wine sector and imported wine, with investment in mixing and finishing technology opening up doors for the UK wine market.

We also need, as an industry, to make real strides towards net zero, and this is an important change that will ensure New World wines remain accessible for consumers in a green wine industry. Of course, UK-produced wine will have a massive role to play in this transition and if we can make this progress while bolstering the choices on offer to consumers, it’s all the better for the whole sector.

Unlocking innovation

With the UK wine boom being driven by high quality sparkling wine, it’s important to capitalise on the current trends that are ongoing – something that traditionally wine has been slow to do. For wine now being bottled in the UK, the potential of post-Brexit rule relaxations brings with it the potential to quickly pivot and jump on trends that wine may otherwise miss due to its cyclical nature, while still creating quality end-products that consumers want and minimising the emissions.

Meanwhile, by allowing New World wines carbonated or sweetened in the UK to be labelled as wine from its country of origin, the new rules will remove the need to ship compressed containers thousands of miles. As carbonated wines are bottled under high pressure, the changes in temperature that often occur during long-haul transit can lead to issues with quality or breakages. High temperatures cause the wine to expand and increase pressure, potentially smashing containers.

Moreover, it allows greater volumes of wine to be shipped, increasing the efficiency of supply chains, giving British bottling businesses a greater role in the industry and making us a more attractive market for international producers and giving additional capabilities for English and Welsh wines. These new facilities are a win-win for the sector and should be fully embraced.

At Encirc, we believe the relaxing of the rules should help build towards an industry where higher quality wine is accessible to a wider portion of the market, and that includes British brands. The bottom line is that we can’t seek to lift up one part of the industry while holding another back.

For manufacturing, filling and logistics companies like us, it’s an opportunity for innovation in the bottling process, and expansion of what’s possible at this stage in the supply chain. It’s a chance to be a part of a smarter, more sustainable global industry, and it’s one that we should run towards.

Part of the Vidrala group, Encirc produces more than three billion glass bottles and other containers, and fills up to 400 million litres of bulk shipped beverages every year.

It has almost 2,000 employees and operates from three sites in County Fermanagh, Cheshire and Bristol, with access to Europe’s largest bonded warehouse.

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