Drinks Sector News
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Scientists in search for sustainable super hops
Hop breeders and scientists have been awarded £0.5m for a five-year project aimed at protecting the British pint. Wye Hops will lead the project with the University of Kent on “genetic informed breeding to create hop varieties which are more resilient… Read More
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DRS likely to be delayed until 2027
Prepare not to be surprised: the long-awaited deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers is heading for another delay. Reports earlier this month suggested 2028 was now the date Defra had in mind for the scheme, which involves a deposit being added… Read More
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Interest in flat bottled wines bubbles up
Food brands often want to switch away from plastic packaging but in the drinks sector plastic is increasingly seen in a different light. Discounter Aldi has become the latest convert to selling wine in ‘flat’ bottles made from recycled PET… Read More
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Can wine break free from glass?
A wine packaging trial offers hope for glass alternatives like recycled plastic and bag-in-a-box, and could dramatically reduce carbon emissions. By David Burrows. Can wine be packaged in something other than glass? Undoubtedly. Wine is now available in aluminium cans,… Read More
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Ireland’s DRS proving increasingly popular
More than 2 million drinks containers have been returned in the first month of Ireland’s deposit return scheme (DRS). The scheme’s operator, Re-turn, recorded February 29th as the most active day with 200,999 drinks containers returned. However, this daily figure… Read More
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What price a healthier drop?
Pubs and policymakers have high expectations for low and no-alcohol drinks but price remains a problem. David Burrows reports. Popular plonk. One in three adults consumed no/low drinks at least once in 2022, and of these, more than half consumed them… Read More
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Sustainable wine – from niche to necessity
Climate change threatens wine production so let’s talk about less and better drinks. By David Burrows. Back to the booze. Thank goodness that is over. I am of course talking about ‘dry January’ and the veganista-like gloating that belches from those… Read More
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Whisky wastewater could be used for sustainable fuels: study
Wastewater from the distilling industry could be used to produce green hydrogen fuels thanks to materials developed by scientists at Heriot-Watt University, Scotland. Around 1 million litres of wastewater from the whisky distilling process is produced every year in Scotland… Read More
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Young people drive demand for alcohol alternatives
The number of 18-24 year olds who identify as regular or occasional drinkers of low and no-alcohol drinks has soared in the past year as the products continue to make inroads into the mainstream drinks market. The Portman Group’s sixth… Read More
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‘Dramatic’ jump in the presence of pesticides in wine
The proportion of wine containing multiple pesticide residues has increased from 14% in 2016 (the last time that wine was tested) to 50% in 2022. Analysis of the UK government’s testing programme by non-profit PAN UK shows residues of 19 different pesticides… Read More