Practical and at the same time more sustainable packaging is becoming an increasingly strong sales argument in the wine segment as well. This is particularly evident in Northern Europe, where lightweight and robust PET bottles with a high share of recycled material are gaining importance as an alternative to traditional glass. Market studies confirm this direction, indicating a link between the choice of packaging, brand perception and the ability to reach new consumer groups. According to the Wine Packaging Market Report 2024 by IMARC Group, growing demand for sustainable and lightweight packaging solutions is an important factor driving the global wine packaging market. The Sustainable Product Packaging study by consultancy Simon-Kucher reports that 63 percent of respondents perceive brands using sustainable packaging more positively. For wine producers and retailers, this represents a real starting point for building additional business.
New packaging, new customers
In current market conditions, sustainable packaging is defined primarily by low weight, a favorable energy balance and high recyclability. PET bottles meet these criteria, which translates into new purchase incentives and growing interest from consumer segments that were previously difficult to reach with wine in traditional glass bottles.
Experience from Nordic markets shows that consumer response to wine in PET bottles is generally positive, especially among people focused on convenience, mobility and environmental aspects. "Consumer response to PET wine bottles is generally positive, especially among environmentally conscious, convenience focused, and younger wine drinkers. When consumers understand that PET is safe, recyclable, low in CO2 emissions, and does not compromise taste for short term wines, acceptance grows significantly" says Heidi Melén-Aalto, Director of Packaging Design & Development at Anora, one of the leading wine and spirits brand houses in the Nordic region, headquartered in Helsinki. The company is regarded as one of the global sustainability pioneers in the industry.
Low weight, resistance to breakage and often a lower overall system cost mean that PET bottles reduce entry barriers for new buyers. "PET bottles do help reach new target groups. Their light weight and unbreakable design appeal to more casual wine drinkers and people with on the go lifestyles. PET's strong sustainability story attracts eco conscious consumers looking for lower impact choices" adds Melén-Aalto. As a result, wines in PET packaging reach both price-sensitive, eco-oriented buyers and consumers who choose wine outdoors, at events or on the go, as well as older people for whom heavy glass bottles are becoming increasingly difficult to handle.
Additional design potential and on-shelf differentiation
Compared with aluminum cans or bag-in-box systems, PET offers wide design freedom in terms of container shape, surface and color. This makes it possible to create wine bottles that are more visible on the shelf, which is particularly important in highly competitive sales channels. Distinctive shapes and design solutions allow producers to target consumers for whom packaging appearance and form play a key role in purchasing decisions.
The use of smaller volumes, such as 330 ml or 187 ml, opens additional use cases in air travel, catering, mass events and promotional activities. Integrated handles, dosing features or specialized closures can in turn create new consumption occasions beyond the traditional context of wine drinking. Custom-designed PET bottles can become an important element of brand identity, communicating a modern, urban or more extravagant character.
Light bottle and relatively simple technology change
An industrial example in the wine segment is the PET bottle in a classic, elegant Bordeaux shape developed by Austrian manufacturer Alpla. The bottle weighs only 50 grams, which translates into lower energy consumption over the entire cycle compared with glass bottles and enables production from 100 percent recycled material. Depending on the recycled content, CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 50 percent; even without secondary raw material the emissions remain 38 percent lower than for glass. The first PET bottle version does not require additional coating and maintains high wine quality for up to six months. A version currently being tested, equipped with an ultra-thin silicon dioxide coating, is expected to provide an extended product shelf life. Both variants are fully recyclable within existing plastics recycling systems.
The PET bottle is compatible with standard aluminum closures and can be used on conventional filling lines in common volumes such as 1 l, 0.75 l and 187 ml. The required changes to feeding systems, pressure settings or fine-tuning are generally limited, and with proper preparation can be implemented in around half a day. Filling speeds are slightly lower than for glass bottles, but the compression force needed to crimp the aluminum closure, around 700–800 N, is significantly lower than for glass, which is relevant in terms of the load on equipment and format parts.
The offering covers six volumes from 1.5 l down to 187 ml, and implementation of custom designs is technically feasible. From an economic point of view, the use of PET bottles becomes attractive at volumes of around 50,000–100,000 units, and under favorable cost conditions, dependent for example on energy and procurement prices, cost savings of up to around 30 percent compared with glass solutions are possible.
New product formats and market applications
PET bottles can be used not only for white and red wines but also for non-alcoholic variants, spritz drinks, selected spirits and juices, provided that hot filling is not required. Low unit weight, resistance to mechanical damage and good palletization properties facilitate logistics and warehousing at every stage of the supply chain.
The Alpla PET bottle is currently available in Austrian retail chains under the Heuriger wine brand from producer Wegenstein. Further products and market launches are planned, which will help to better verify consumer response and purchasing behavior in different countries and distribution channels.
An increasing number of wine producers see PET as a sustainable addition to their existing packaging strategy, particularly for young wines, limited editions or marketing projects. In this way they achieve lower unit costs, a reduced carbon footprint and packaging that can be made entirely from secondary raw material and is suitable for recycling. As summarized by Heidi Melén-Aalto: "Together, these trends position PET as a mainstream future format, not a niche."
Lightweight, sustainable and shatterproof PET bottles are gaining importance in the wine segment as well. For producers and retailers they offer an opportunity to reach new target groups such as young, modern, mobile and environmentally conscious consumers.
