Banrock Station launches first flat-bottled wine into supermarkets

Banrock Station, the eco-friendly wine brand from Accolade Wines, is releasing the first flat bottle made from 100% recycled plastic into UK grocery.

Partnering with Garçon Wines to create the bottles, Banrock Station’s Merlot and Chardonnay is available initially in the Co-op now.

Banrock Station’s vision is to become the world’s most recognised eco-friendly wine brand by offering an accessible and affordable wine option for the growing number of consumers looking to make more sustainable product purchases.

Packaged at "The Park", the 75cl bottles are made from 100 per cent recycled rPET plastic, which require 75 per cent less energy to produce and emit 79 per cent less CO2 than a virgin PET[3]. The bottles are also 100% recyclable and certified carbon neutral[4].

Weighing just 63g, the Banrock Station bottles are 87 per cent lighter than the average glass bottle, resulting in significant CO2 savings across the supply chain. The flat design is 40 per cent smaller than the average glass bottle, whilst still containing 75cl of wine, and contributes to packaging efficiencies, with 2.3x more wine fitting on pallets, further reducing CO2 emissions.

Lindsay Holas, Brand Manager at Accolade Wines, said: “We pride ourselves on our environmental ethos and our aim is to galvanise consumers to ‘do good’ for themselves and our planet, as well as supporting retailers to meet the demand for green products. We know that 62 per cent of customers say they want to buy from sustainable brands[5] and 37% of global consumers are influenced by ethical credentials when purchasing alcohol[6].

“The move to using these flat wine bottles is a big step in Accolade Wine’s environmental journey as we manage our business in a responsible manner from vineyard to the consumer. This will also allow Banrock Station and retailers to target younger consumers, who on the whole are more aware and concerned for the future of the planet[7]. We’re pleased to collaborate with Garçon Wines and the Co-op to bring this exciting technology to market, benefitting both retailers and consumers.”

Ed Robinson, Wine Buyer at The Co-operative Group, said: “At the Co-op we are keen to work with supplier partners who embrace the latest sustainable initiatives and as such it is very exciting to be involved in this project with Banrock Station.”

Banrock Station’s Merlot is now available in the Co-op with RRP of £7.50, with a Chardonnay to follow later this year. Both will be widely available from January 2021. The launch will be supported with in-store POS and social media activity.

[1] WRAP, 2018; Denkstatt - ALPLA, 2017

[2] Accolade Wines UK-packaged core branded portfolio certified carbon neutral by The Carbon Trust

[3] WRAP, 2018; Denkstatt - ALPLA, 2017

[4] Accolade Wines UK-packaged core branded portfolio certified carbon neutral by The Carbon Trust

[5]Accenture, 2019

[6] Wine Intelligence, 2019

[7] Kantar Worldpanel GFK Who Care Does September 2019