Wine packaging and related sustainability issues

Wine packaging is one of the biggest sustainability issues facing the sector and needs to be faced at many levels, from the materials and formats used in packages, through the logistics of trade to the consumer perceptions and attitudes. Life cycle assessments of the sustainability parameters of packaging options must contemplate the technical aspects of the package but also considerations such as where and how the wine is served, whether packages are single use, and whether the packaging process occurs close to where it is to be consumed. The cork stoppered, glass bottle is still by far most prevalent form of packaging, but even this exists in many formats and variations, many developed to improve sustainability attributes. Other materials and formats are also present, including bag-in-box, paper-based cartons, polyethylene terephthalate and other polymer bottles and kegs, aluminum cans, and steel kegs. Each have functional and sustainability attributes suiting them to certain applications and products types.