Non-profit organization Enviu has announced that its Universal Reusable Wine Bottle will be available in every Ekoplaza store in the Netherlands starting this month, designed to enable different wine brands to share the same bottle.
Ekoplaza supermarkets will now stock the bottles, which are returned once used, washed, refilled and then sold again. According to Enviu, the Weijnschenk brand is the first to offer its wine in the shared bottle in supermarkets nationwide.
The launch comes after eighteen months of collaborative development between Enviu, wine distributor Walraven Sax and packaging platform PAKT Packaging. Aiming towards reuse at scale, partners across the wine value chain helped to develop and test the bottle, supported by the Province of South Holland.
Enviu adds that Walraven Sax already bottles its wine in a universal reusable bottle available in bars and restaurants across the country, and Weijnschenk has sold its wine in its own reusable bottle at Odin for over a year. What makes the new bottles different is their reuse system: participating brands share the same infrastructure and stores collect all standard bottles in a single stream, without sorting them by brand.
This approach seeks to improve the efficiency of bottle collection, washing and distribution. Enviu, Walraven Sax and PAKT Packaging invite wine producers, distributors and retailers to join the next phase.
In related news, glass packaging manufacturer Vetropack has revealed a lightweight 0.75 litre bottle claimed to be ‘the lightest bottle of its kind’ in Europe, and a reusable Rhinewine bottle. Made from 80% recycled glass, the lighter bottle is said to generate 13% less CO2 over a transport distance of 100 kilometres.
Earlier this month we reported on Australian Vintage's Poco Vino wine in 178ml single-serve bottles, designed for easier transportation, lower-waste sampling, and moderate drinking at social events. The format is intended to be gifted, shared, and consumed in line with modern lifestyles.
