Q . WHICH AREA OF THE BUSINESS COMES WITH THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO MAKE SUSTAINABILITY IMPROVEMENTS ?
» Glass is our biggest hurdle to overcome . Although glass is a great material with many benefits relating to recyclability , transporting and manufacturing it is currently a greenhouse gas-intensive process . The sheer number of bottles moving through our supply chain makes this one of our biggest levers to pull . However , the issue is further exacerbated by consumer perception of wine and it being synonymous with heavy glass bottles . Generally speaking , the belief is that the heavier the bottle the better the wine .
It is a monumental task to start evolving consumer attitudes , so people consider different packaging solutions for wine , but this is something we are committed to doing .
There is an increased focus within the UK glass bottle industry on transition to renewable energy , which will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from manufacture . In addition to these efforts , at Accolade we are exploring various initiatives such
“ Within the supply-chain , the sheer complexity of our business and gathering accurate , robust data can be time-consuming and difficult but is essential to our progress ”
Courtney Treacher Winemaker for Brookland Valley
as lighter-weight bottles , and how we drive consideration and purchase for alternative formats , such as Bag in Box and recycled PET flat bottles .
If we look at the example of Bag in Box , the numbers speak for themselves : the packaging for our premium Bag in Box product , Vino Società , is at least 80 % lighter than the bottle equivalent ; this means less energy is required to transport it , so there are less CO2 equivalent emissions .
There are also plenty of benefits for wine drinkers who have less money to spend at the moment . A 1.5L format gives shoppers value and convenience , with the boxes equivalent to two 750ml bottles and sold in a fridgefriendly size . The wine can stay fresh for up to six weeks after opening , which minimises waste and is ideal for single glass occasions . sustainabilitymag . com 27