Evidently, consumers do not believe that the elegant glass packaging that we are all so accustomed to seeing our wine transported in has much of an environmental impact. The reason for this, ostensibly, is that glass is one of the first packaging materials that people got used to recycling, and therefore do not consider it to have an impact on the environment.
This assumption on the part of the consumer is incorrect for two reasons:
1. Recycling the glass takes energy and the creation of electrical or heat energy requires combustion of somesort (unless nuclear powered) and the combustion emits carbon into the atmosphere and perhaps other biproducts into the water system depending on the type of fuel.
2. Transporting glass bottles as opposed to transporting wine (or other products) in bulk dramatically increases carbon footprint. Imagine that on a 20 foot container, one can fit approximately 10,000 bottles, but in that same container, if shipping in bulk (flexitank–like an enormous bladder) one can fit about 25,000L. Then, in turn, bottling that wine at the destination would yield about 37,000 bottles. This is 3.7 times more efficient, an enormous difference.
A company called Glass Rite Wine in the U.K. began in 2006 with this process and ended up saving around 11,400 metric tonnes of glass from having to be recycled.
We all certainly hope that this becomes the future for the wine industry, the problem though remains that consumers think that glass is environmentally friendly and they would also rather purchase glass bottles of wine than in any other packaging. See the numbers.
The good news is that in alternative occasions: picnics, parties and consuming wine at home, consumers attitudes become more flexible. Most people would be likely or very likely to buy wine in other forms of packaging under these circumstances. Again, see the numbers.
But the fear that wineries have is that people will reject their product based on packaging alone, and if the data is right, their fear is quite founded. Thus, consumer attitudes must change in order for producers to set aside their fear of changing to environmentally friendly packaging. How can this be done?
1. Consumers must realize that glass is NOT environmentally friendly and due to its, weight, volume, and high energy consumption to recycle, should be either modified, eliminated, or transported less to save costs and damage to the environment.
2. Consumers must realize that other forms of packaging (hello screwtops and sythetic corks!) are not going to effect 90% of the wine on the market from tasting the same way as if poured from glass. For ultra premiums, grand reserves, etc., exceptions could be made, but the glass used in those cases should still be lighter weight at the very least.
3. Producers must also invest in these new packaging forms and transportation techniques as well as educate the public on their benefits and reliability.
4. Generous support from the packaging producers would also go a long way in supporting the wine producers incorporation of new packaging.
I hope to see these types of changes going into effect sooner rather than later, as they will undoubtedly have a positive impact on all aspects of the wine industry (except bottle producers) and environment.
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