Leading UK Wine Figures Call for Alternative Wine Packaging

If all wine sold in the United Kingdom was packaged in something other than glass bottles, as much as 750 million kilograms of CO2 emissions could be eliminated every year in the UK alone.  That's the equivalent of removing 350,000 cars off the road overnight,  41 wine writers, editors and a few producers of wine or alternative packaging told Chancellor of the Exchequer James Cartlidge.

Interestingly, while saying "we believe that like all other sectors, wine is duty bound to achieve (a) target" of "reducing emissions by 43% this decade," as recommended by the International Panel of Climate Change, the letter writers did not call for the government to take any action to force a change in packaging.  

Reaching the target "will not be possible without reducing our reliance of traditional glass bottles.  Viable alternative formats include boxed wine, canned wine, kegs, returnable glass bottles, paper bottles and pouches, all of which come with vastly reduced carbon footprints as well as other benefits" but at no difference in quality for wines drunk in a few months of purchase "as most are."

Signers include Jancis Robinson, Hugh Johnson, the drinks columnist for the Evening Standard, the editor of Harpers Wien & Spirit, The Times wine critic, a variety of other writers, editors and broadcasters, as well as the managing director for BIB (Bag-in-Box) Wine Co., the managing director of the Canned Wine Co. and a couple of other suppliers.