imprint EDITORIAL PUBLISHER Alexander Büchler, Managing Director HEAD OFFICE heidelberg business media GmbH Hubweg 15 74939 Zuzenhausen, Germany phone: +49 6221-65108-0 fax: +49 6221-65108-28 [email protected] EDITORIAL Kay Barton Heike Fischer Gabriele Kosmehl Michael Maruschke Ruari McCallion Anthony Withers WikiPETia. info [email protected] MEDIA CONSULTANTS Martina Hirschmann [email protected] Johann Lange-Brock [email protected] phone: +49 6221-65108-0 fax: +49 6221-65108-28 LAYOUT AND PREPRESS EXPRIM Werbeagentur | exprim.de Matthias Gaumann READER SERVICES [email protected] PRINT Chroma Druck Eine Unternehmung der Limberg-Druck GmbH Danziger Platz 6 67059 Ludwigshafen, Germany WWW www.hbmedia.net | www.petpla.net PETplanet Insider ISSN 1438-9459 is published 10 times a year. This publication is sent to qualified subscribers (1-year subscription 149 EUR, 2-year subscription 289 EUR, Young professionals’ subscription 99 EUR. Magazines will be dispatched to you by airmail). Not to be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher. Note: The fact that product names may not be identified as trademarks is not an indication that such names are not registered trademarks. 3 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 06/23 www.petpla.net Dear readers, New horizon for packaging This year’s London Wine Fair, held at the Kensington Olympia Exhibition Centre, had a very strong theme of sustainability. A panel discussion on alternative packaging materials included representatives from Laylo, which sells premium boxed wines, Frugalpac, which makes bottles from recycled paper, and British retailers Tesco and Waitrose. Samples of cans and PET bottles were passed among the audience, which appeared to be quite open to ideas. A number of the exhibitors were actively seeking to change their packaging models. Shelf life is undeniably shorter in non-glass packages but, as most wine is bought by consumers for drinking the same day, is it really the major issue often claimed? Market considerations seem to be leading producers into actively consider different packaging for different markets. Handy 250 or 330ml cans of wine were promoted for relaxed, informal, social events. Laylo boxes offer six week life for red wine once opened. Petainer, who we spoke to (see separate article p. 8) talked of six to 18 months for PET bottles, depending on construction. However, shelf life is important for some. I spoke to a Cava producer from NE Spain, who present their wine as a premium product, are not considering PET. They cited the practicalities of packaging a carbonated product but there was also indication of strong cultural resistance. Help may be at hand. Sipa have developed a high-quality PET bottle specifically for sparkling wines (see article on p. 35). It weighs just 90 g – more than 80% lighter than the glass equivalent’s 750 g. Porto Protocol, based in Portugal, is a forum for exchanging ideas and innovations to improve sustainability, extending across 20 countries. One of its headline figures is that around 40% of the wine industry’s carbon emissions are from production and transportation of heavy glass bottles. Kakoulidis Vineyards, one of the new and growing wineries in Macedonia, Northern Greece, produces around 72,000 bottles of wine annually. Energy and transportation are two of their main costs but they said they cannot afford to be in the lead of developers of new technology but they are looking for ways to cut their costs and be more environmentally sustainable. An exhibitor who prefers to remain anonymous suggested that it will require the large producers, like LVMH, to change before the industry as a whole changes “but as long as they are making lots of money they have no incentive”. The impression I got was not so pessimistic. PET is gaining far more acceptance than was the case a decade ago. Retailers are putting pressure on their supply chain to be more sustainable and reduce carbon. Rocketing fuel and energy costs are concentrating minds. Weight savings of 85-90% and energy cost savings of over 70%, compared with traditional glass, cannot be ignored. Yours, Ruari McCallion “Export of wine in glass bottles, and their transport and limited recycling had the largest carbon footprint in Australian studies (68%). Grape growing, contributing 15% and wine making contributing 17% were similar and both minor components to the overall average fi gure.” Dr Richard Smart (Smart Viticulture) // www.portoprotocol.com
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTY0MjI=