Breaking boundaries: ALPLA’s PET wine bottle revolutionises sustainability in packaging

ALPLA introduces a groundbreaking lightweight PET wine bottle, claiming to slash carbon emissions by 50%. This recyclable bottle, weighing just an eighth of its glass counterpart, promises significant environmental and cost benefits. Available in 0.75L and 1L sizes, it can be entirely produced from rPET, saving energy and materials during manufacturing and further reducing carbon consumption. Incorporating rPET enhances its eco-friendliness, with a 30% rPET blend cutting carbon emissions by 43%. Recyclate for production is sourced from ALPLA’s recycling plants. Daniel Lehner, ALPLA’s global sales director, praises PET as an ideal, sustainable packaging solution, benefiting winemakers with improved environmental footprints and lowered costs.

Pilot partner Wegenstein utilises the bottle for white wine, boasting a 38% reduction in carbon emissions compared to glass alternatives. ALPLA foresees a bottle-to-bottle loop in Europe and plans to manufacture millions annually by 2025, with a future focus on a solution entirely made of rPET. Herbert Toifl, managing director of Wegenstein winery, lauds the bottle for its visual appeal, quality, and practicality. Sebastian Rosenberger, ALPLA project manager, emphasizes the tailored design’s efficiency in bottling and shipment.

Similar initiatives, like the collaboration between Aldi and Packamama for ‘flat’ wine bottles, and Coca-Cola’s production of 500ml rPET bottles in Hong Kong, underscore a global shift towards sustainable packaging. Despite progress, challenges remain, with Plastics Recyclers Europe urging resolution of disparities in recycled content across EU Member States to meet ambitious targets by 2025.