Millennials prefer to crack open a can of wine

YOUNGER wine drinkers are shunning bottles for cans, according to retailers, as the millennial generation consumes alcohol in smaller measures.

The wine manufacturer Mirabeau en Provence is among those jumping on the bandwagon, with plans to release a rosé wine in a can in the UK from next year after seeing success in the US.

Stephen Cronk, the company’s co-founder, said millennials wanted the option of buying a single measure rather than a whole bottle, on the one hand to avoid binge drinking, but also because cans can be more environmentally friendly.

Waitrose listed canned wine as one of the top trends of 2018 in its Food and Drink

Report, and said it was likely to become even more popular next year. The supermarket has added two canned wines to its collection.

Pamela O’Neill, a Provence wine expert, agreed that the can’s environmental credentials are a factor in its popularity.

She said: “Aluminium cans leave a relatively small carbon footprint as they’re lighter than glass and require less space and packaging to transport, and, like glass, can be 100 per cent recycled, indefinitely, without material degradation.

“Less cumbersome than bottles, cans are actually more likely to be recycled.”

Mr Cronk added: “Above all it’s the benefit of convenience. Smaller sizes (25cl in our case), not needing a corkscrew and above all not being made of breakable glass means cans are highly portable and can be taken to beaches and parks, where glass is often forbidden.”

Victoria Mason, the wine buyer for Waitrose, told The Drinks Business magazine: “We’re excited to bring back the trend. Wine in a can is growing at a rapid rate in the US and it’s only a matter of time before this catches on in the UK.”