Safe, affordable and sustainable: the plastic packaging specialist ALPLA launches a recyclable wine bottle made of PET. The bottle weighs approximately only one eighth of a glass bottle, reduces carbon footprint by up to 50 percent and allows price savings of up to 30 percent. It can be made entirely from recycled PET (rPET). The packaging solution is now available in 0,75 liter and 1 liter bottle sizes and is already used in Austria by pilot customer and development partner Wegenstein.
Global packaging specialist ALPLA has expanded its product range with a PET wine bottle. The 0,75 liter bottle weighs only 50 grams, about eight times less than the glass alternative. The first bottles of white wine Wegenstein winery They recently entered circulation in the Austrian wine market, making them part of the European bottle-to-bottle circuit. This sustainable solution reduces carbon consumption by 38 percent compared to the glass alternative, even without rPET content. The PET bottle is now also available in a 1 liter version. ALPLA already plans to manufacture several million units per year from 2025 and is planning solutions made entirely of rPET.
“PET is lightweight, unbreakable and recyclable, and can be molded with little energy, making plastic the ideal packaging solution. With it, winemakers can improve their environmental footprint and reduce their costs,” he emphasizes. Daniel Lehner, director of global food and beverage sales at ALPLA. The plastic packaging meets all quality requirements, is available in a transparent or green bottle and is suitable for all types of wine.
Lower material consumption and energy-saving manufacturing reduce carbon consumption. The use of rPET further increases the reduction. Even 30 percent rPET saves 43 percent, while the ecological footprint of the 100 percent rPET solution is even reduced by half, to -50 percent. High quality recycled material is provided by ALPLA from its own recycling plants ALPLArecycling. The low weight of the packaging also has a positive influence on shipping. And there is a cost advantage too. ALPLA PET wine bottles are up to 30 percent cheaper than glass bottles, depending on needs.
The sustainable packaging solution works with conventional metal screw caps and is compatible with winemakers' bottling lines, meaning it is flexible. Wegenstein fills PET bottles on the same bottling lines as glass bottles. “The bottle has adapted perfectly to the bottling and shipping processes. The close collaboration with the Wegenstein team considerably accelerated the market launch," reports Sebastian Rosenberger, ALPLA project director. «The PET bottle delivers what it promises. It is visually attractive, guarantees our quality and is practical. We offer an innovative offer to consumers who care about our environment and our climate," he explains. Herbert Toifl, general director of the Wegenstein winery.
