UK grocer Waitrose has announced packaging reduction plans, which will involve it moving small wine formats from bottles into cans.
From 15 January, the majority of small wine formats at Waitrose – excluding Champagne, Prosecco and Cava, and Rioja due to appellation restrictions – will be moved from glass to aluminium.
The packaging reduction move is part of the supermarket chain’s ambitions to bring down its carbon footprint.
Barry Dick, beer, wine & spirit bulk sourcing manager at Waitrose, explained why the decision represented a greener way of retailing, saying: “Aluminium cans weigh significantly less than glass and create less than half the amount of CO2 than the equivalent single-use glass bottle.”
He added that 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,” Dick commented.
“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.”
Waitrose said its customers purchased nearly three million small bottles of wine across both still and sparkling categories in 2022. The retailer has predicted its packaging reduction will save over 300 tonnes of glass packaging.
The new canned range at Waitrose will include, as follows:
- Most Wanted Sauvignon Blanc
- Most Wanted Malbec
- When in Rome Abruzzo
- When in Rome Pinot Grigio
- Terre di Faiano Primitivo
- JP Chenet Pinor Noir
- JP Chenet Colombard/Chardonnay
- Hardy’s Shiraz
- Hardy’s Chardonnay
- Celliers de Dauphins CDR
- Beefsteak Malbec
- Tiki Ridge Sauvignon Blanc
- Bijou Horizon Grenache Rosé
- Mirabeau Rosé
- IGO Organic Wine
- IGO Organic Rosado
- IGO Organise Red
- The Uncommon Bubbly Rosé
- The Uncommon Bubbly White
[Image credit: Waitrose/John Lewis Partnership]
