Waitrose cans small bottles of wine to reduce carbon footprint

Replacing glass containers with aluminium tins will cut down on packaging waste, says supermarket

IT MAY bill itself as a high-end supermarket, but Waitrose shoppers will soon have to buy some of their wine in aluminium cans instead of glass bottles.

The supermarket has become the first to replace the majority of its small glass wine bottles – popular among picnickers and those keen to moderate their spending and alcohol intake – with aluminium cans.

The move is expected to reduce the weight of packaging the company uses by 320 tons as it aims to appeal to environmentally conscious customers, many of whom buy canned alcoholic cocktails.

From Sunday, the majority of 187ml glass bottles Waitrose offers for sale will be replaced by aluminium cans as part of its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. Champagne, prosecco, cava and rioja will continue to be sold in glass bottles for legal reasons.

Last year, Waitrose customers purchased nearly three million small bottles of still and sparkling wine.

Barry Dick, the supermarket’s beer, wine and spirit bulk sourcing manager, said: “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.”

Libby Peake, senior policy adviser for resources at the Green Alliance think tank, said: “Liquids, particularly when stored in heavy containers, often result in very high carbon emissions if they’re transported long distances – as is so often the case with wine in the UK.”

According to an article published in September’s Vineyard Magazine, lockdown contributed to a steady rise in the popularity of wine in cans, and experts predict the market will continue to grow – from its current global value of £158.4million to £428.4million by 2028. UK sales soared from £2.5 million in 2018 to £10.7million in 2020.

A spokesman for Waitrose confirmed that it would continue to sell half bottles of wine and would be adding six canned wines to the 14 it offers for sale by April.