WRAP is leading an initiative it hopes could see more wine importers & retailers bulk importing wine & bottling it in lighter, UK-made bottles. The aim is to reduce glass waste generated & boost the UK's recycling market."Currently, 20% of wine is bulk imported to the UK & research suggests more use of bulk importing will not only boost glass recycling, but also generate cost benefits for the wine industry," said Andy Dawe, WRAP sector manager, glass. To help the industry explore bulk importing & lightweighting opportunities, WRAP has created detailed models which calculate the cost benefits for different products & scenarios. The UK is the world's largest wine importer, with over 1BN bottles arriving annually from the EU & the New World, 80% of which are already filled. The project will "tackle the tens of thousands of tonnes associated with these imports, and particularly green glass."
