Wine GB launches Sustainable Packaging Toolkit
Wine GB has launched a Sustainability Packaging Toolkit as part of World Environment Day on 5 June, to support sustainable action in vineyards and wineries.
The second in a series of guidance documents, the toolkit helps operators understand the impact of their decisions, how to comply with industry standards and how to choose the most suitable packaging options.
It examines different forms of wine packaging, from which the carbon output ranges from 30% to almost 60%, and includes packaging life cycle analysis, examples of best practice, relevant resources, checklists, retailer requirements, and case studies.
Nicola Bates, CEO of Wine GB, said: “Our Sustainable Packaging Toolkit enables English and Welsh wine producers to make more informed choices about their packaging that best suits the need of their businesses. It’s crucial to keep our members informed so they can stay one step ahead of upcoming changes in legislation. This toolkit is a one-stop-shop for what they need to know now and in the future.”
Fergus Elias, director of wine at Balfour Winery, added: “The Packaging Toolkit is a well-put together document. Thorough, clear, and accessible. There’s enough technical detail to be genuinely useful without tipping into overwhelm. I think producers, especially those earlier in their sustainability journey, will find it helpful.”
Among the issues address is that of issue of glass bottles. Wine GB said: “While glass production has significant energy use and carbon emissions, glass is made from abundant raw materials and is infinitely recyclable without degradation in quality.
“There is considerable improvement potential as using recycled glass can reduce emissions by up to 30%, although most bottles contain only a proportion of recycled glass. Unnecessarily heavy bottles have attracted criticism from within the wine trade and led to critics such as Jancis Robinson MW publishing bottle weights alongside reviews.
“The toolkit also highlights potential future developments such as Sustainable Wine Table’s efforts to explore lightweighting options for sparkling wine bottles.”
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