Tesco is to launch top wine brands in different formats through August to "see which ones the consumer takes to." Australian brand Wolf Blass is to be sold in PET; S Africa's Arniston Bay will go into pouches, with Australia's Banrock Station in Tetra Pak. Tesco plans to reduce its impact on the environment by 2010 but the move to introduce the formats has been slammed by independent merchants. Harpers' Indy 500 survey found that 86% of independent merchants believe introducing PET bottles will be one step that will help sales the least. An overwhelming 95% were against Tetra Pak. D Thomas, owner of The Cellar Door, told Harpers: "Supermarkets don't do anything in the ethical sense. It must save them money. If using PET will really help them reduce their carbon footprint then good luck to them but I can't see it. It will obviously be used for mass-market wine. They have already screwed everything up for niche suppliers in the UK."
