Banrock Station flat pack eco bottles target wine industry’s carbon hotspot

A flat wine bottle made entirely from Australian-sourced 100% recycled PET plastic is helping to reshape the carbon footprint of wine by targeting the industry’s environmental hotspot, the glass bottle.

In a collaboration between sustainable packaging pioneers Packamama and winemakers Accolade Wines, eco bottles of Banrock Station wines will be sold exclusively through select Liquorland and First Choice Liquor Market stores nationally from this month. The launch marks the bottles’ Australian market debut.

With a nod to tradition, Packamama’s innovative eco bottle shares the classic high-shouldered silhouette of a traditional ‘Bordeaux’ wine bottle. But when turned to the side, it reveals a slimmer profile that allows twice as many bottles to fit in a standard wine case – which means it’s much more efficient to transport. Using recycled PET also saves weight, making the bottles 84% lighter, to reduce emissions in transport as well as the energy in production and recycling to further tackle greenhouse gas emissions.

The freight-friendly bottle has the potential to significantly reduce the road transport burden and emissions for wine in Australia.

And when customers are finished with their Banrock Station wines, the empty bottle is fully recyclable.*

While the shape of the eco-flat bottle is a departure from the traditional round wine bottle, Packamama’s chief executive and founder Santiago Navarro is confident the time is right for Australian winemakers to respectfully challenge a couple of centuries of tradition.

“Australia is globally recognised as a leader in wine packaging thanks to break-through innovations, including bag-in-box casks and screw-top caps for wines, and we are highly motivated to launch our climate-friendly bottle at Coles with Accolade Wines and Taylors Wines,” Mr Navarro said.

“Coles’ ambition to be Australia’s most sustainable supermarket is powerfully aligned with our ambition to deliver the world’s most scalable, sustainable bottle.”

Mia Lloyd, Coles Liquor Acting General Manager Customer, Trade Planning & Insight said it was exciting to be at the leading edge of packaging innovation with the eco-flat bottle.

“We know our customers want us to do more in relation to sustainability, particularly in the packaging space,” Ms Lloyd said.

“This exclusive collaboration with Packamama and Accolade Wines has the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of wine and it also gives our customers a new option when they’re packing for that camping or caravan holiday!”

Accolade Wines, who launched the eco-flat bottle two years ago in Europe, is on a mission to improve the sustainability of the wine industry and has ambitious targets to advance circular economy packaging across its entire portfolio.

“In the last 18 months alone, we have launched a variety of sustainable and innovative packaging solutions including wine in cans, wine on tap, bagnums, as well as a world-first circular, sustainable packaging solution for on-premise partners,” said Sandy Mayo, Accolade Wines Global Chief Marketing Officer.

“We chose Banrock Station to launch the eco bottle in Australia, because the environmental credentials fit perfectly with the brand’s 25 year sustainability heritage and its commitment to forging a more sustainable future for the planet. By purchasing Banrock Station wine, wine-lovers can rest assured that they are doing something positive for the environment while enjoying delicious, sustainably-made wine from South Australia,” Ms Mayo said.

It’s not just the environmental credentials of this bottle that set it apart – the lighter, unbreakable recycled PET plastic bottle is much more convenient for picnics or popping in the esky on holiday.