Case Study

GlassRite: Wine lightweighting and bulk importation

Date: May 2008
Documents: CS: Bottling Wine in a Changing Climate June 2007
(207 kb)
CS: Lightweight Wine Bottles: Less is More, May 08
(192 kb)
CS: Benefits of Importing Wine in Bulk, May 08
(281 kb)

In 2007, the UK consumed 1,360 million 75 cl bottles of wine, which contributed around half a million tonnes of packaging to the household waste stream. The groundbreaking industry programme GlassRite Wine, funded by WRAP and managed by British Glass, was a large-scale demonstration of the viability and opportunities available to the wine industry via bulk importation, lightweighting and glass colour choice.

Working with the wine supply chain, the project has delivered significant business benefits to many organisations through the lightweighting of glass wine bottles and increasing bulk importation of wine for UK filling, thereby using more recycled glass. Benefits include reduced costs, improved filling line productivity, and demonstrable responsiveness to retailer environmental requirements.

Economics

As a direct result of the initiative:

CO2 emission shave been cut by over 28,000 tonnes, equivalent to taking more than 8,500 cars off the road;
199 million 75cl glass bottles are now filled with bulk imported wine each year in the UK instead of being bottled at source – an increase of 79 million glass bottles;
the use of recycled glass has increased by nearly 24,000 tonnes per year, because (as a consequence of more bulk imported wine) more wine bottles are being made in the UK;
glass packaging has been reduced by 11,400 tonnes per year as a result of wine being bottled in lighter weight bottles; and
more than 350 different wine label bottles have been lightweighted during the project.

Other reports:

Report: Overall GlassRite Wine, May 08 (923 kb)

Report: Lightweight Wine Bottles, May 08 (1322 kb)

Report: The Effect of UV on Wine Quality, May 08 (306 kb)

Report: Bulk Shipping of Wine & Quality Implications, May 08 (400 kb)

Report: Emissions of Wine Imported to the UK July 07 (262 kb)

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Did you know...

The average weight of a wine bottle in the UK is currently 502g and the lightest bottle currently on the market weighs around 300g. This provides much opportunity for reducing weight and use of raw materials.

See also: GlassRite: Wine and other related reports at the bottom of this page.

Why not use our new mathematical modelling tool* below. It was developed by Dr John Parker, University of Sheffield in conjunction with Glass Technology Services as part of the WRAP GlassRite Wine project. It enables you to assess the impact of UV lightstrike on bottle design including glass colour and wall thickness.

Tool: UV Protection Colour Prediction Programme, May 08 (4355 kb)

Report: The Effect of UV on Wine Quality, May 08 (306 kb) .

Note *: While steps have been taken to ensure its accuracy, WRAP cannot accept responsibility or be held liable to any person for any loss or damage arising out of or in connection with this information being inaccurate, incomplete or misleading.