New Amcor PET bottle has the class of glass
A new polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle for wine offers a lower weight form of packaging without sacrificing product quality or the environmental benefits associated with glass, its manufacturer claims.
Amcor says that the 750ml bottle, a first for the UK market, represents it latest line in PET-based products designed to shake up the wine market in Europe by offering a fully recyclable and lightweight alternative to existing products.
The bottle will cater to an industry coming under increasing pressure to ensure its packaging is environmentally sustainable, while at the same time meeting consumer demand for convenience and safety.
The PET packaging weighs 54g compared to glass alternatives, which typically range from between 300g to 700g, allowing for reduced transportation costs, according to the packager.
Amcor PET Packaging Europe claims that the design intentionally matches that of traditional glass bottles to allow the product to be used on the same filling lines without any loss of productivity in changeover.
The product uses a stipple base to prevent leakage as a result of conveyor friction, and also comes with a screw top closure.
Group marketing manager Grant Lloyd said the bottle, though innovative in design, still ensured that the quality and image associated with wine is retained.
"Our bottle has maintained the traditional values of wine packaging - particularly in terms of a premium image - and combines this with additional practical and environmental benefits," he stated.
International brewer Fosters has already signed up the product for its premium wine brand, Wolf Blass. Following what it called a successful trial in Canada, with sales unaffected by the switch, the bottle is now going to be rolled out by Foster's in the UK, to be produced at Amcor PET Packaging Europe's Wrexham plant.
Though Foster's Wolf Blass Green Label wine will be bottled in the UK, it will be shipped in bulk from outside the country in a move Amcor claims further reduces the environmental impact of the bottle.
Amcor added that with more than one billion litres of wine being imported into the UK annually, Foster's switch to PET is an important step for the wine industry in the country.
As part of its continued focus on reducing environmental impact, the packager said it has entered into a partnership with the UK's Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) on investigating the environmental impact of PET packaging.
Focusing on all aspects of packing from bottle manufacture to filling and recyclables, the findings are expected to be an invaluable resource for both the wine and packaging industries alike, Amcor says.
