Inverness wine and whisky shop in world first by using paper bottles
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AN Inverness off-licence is one of the first in world to sell wine in paper bottles with a carbon footprint up to 84 per cent lower than a similar traditional glass bottle.
The pioneering 75cl Frugal Bottle is made in the UK from 94 per cent recycled paperboard with a food-grade pouch to hold wine or spirit, and is on sale containing Italian wine at Woodwinters Wines and Whiskies store in Bow Court, Church Street. The other Scottish outlets are in Edinburgh and Bridge of Allan.
The containers are fully recyclable and much lighter than glass, weighing just 83g, so are less costly financially and environmentally to transport.
This makes Scotland the first country in the world sell wine in a recyclable paper bottle, which has a carbon footprint as much as six times lower than its glass equivalent
And it is expected that soon our national drink whisky will be bottled in paper too.
Douglas Wood, founder of Woodwinters Wines and Whiskies said he is delighted to be the first store in the world to sell the Frugal Bottle. He added: “Woodwinters has always been keen on promoting innovation in sustainability, so we’re very excited to offer one of our favourite wines in such an environmentally friendly bottle.”
Malcolm Waugh, chief executive of Ipswich-based manufacturer Frugalpac, said: “Scotland has a real passion for sustainability and innovation, especially with the Scottish Government committing the country to having net zero carbon emissions by 2045.
“So it’s fitting that Scotland is the first country in the world to stock the Frugal Bottle. Since the Frugal Bottle launch, the firm has been inundated with inquiries from around the world from brands, bottlers and retailers, including whisky producers.
The first wine to go on sale in the Frugal bottle is called 3Q from the award-winning Italian vineyard Cantina Goccia. It is a lightly wooded sangiovese red with a hint of merlot and cabernet sauvignon. It was sampled by former US First Lady Michelle Obama when she attended the Hunter Foundation Charity dinner in Edinburgh in 2018.
The pioneering paper bottles are easy to recycle, with a plastic liner that is easily separated from the paper outer during the re-pulping process.
Cantina Goccia owner Ceri Parke said: “We’re proud to be making history with the most sustainable wine bottle in the world. The Frugal Bottle is about achieving a considerably more sustainable form of packaging for an industry crying out for innovation.
“We passionately believe this is a real game changer for the wine industry, and we can see a future when 80 per cent of all wine consumed will be from a paper bottle.”
