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Waitrose launches new carbon-cutting wine range

July 6, 2009 Comments Off

Waitrose is bulk importing wine for its new Virtue range and bottling it in the UK, with the aim of significantly cutting carbon emissions

The wines are imported by sea from Chile in 24,000-litre recyclable tanks to Teesport, Middlesbrough and bottled just outside Durham.

The company said it would reduce carbon emissions by 47 tonnes a year and production costs by up to 40% by shipping the wine in this way.

Waitrose wine buyer Nick Room said the retailer had worked closely with its suppliers to reduce packaging.

“As a supermarket, Waitrose has cut product packaging weight by more than a third in eight years and we’re already looking at more wines which can be shipped in a similar way.”

Waitrose launched the Virtue Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay and Merlot/Cabernet wines in stores in May and added a Californian line to the range in June.

Waitrose is a signatory of the Courtauld Commitment.

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