Drinks Sector News
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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
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Higher taxes on alcohol needed, says WHO
Taxes to incentivise healthier behaviours are being under-used by many countries, according to research published by the World Health Organization (WHO). Globally 2.6 million people die from drinking alcohol every year and over 8 million from an unhealthy diet. WHO… Read More
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Wine retailers show bottle to make packaging lighter
Wine bottles are to become nearly 25% lighter after leading retailers and wine merchants committed to a new accord that will reduce the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions. Led by the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR), wine retailers from around the world including Laithwaites,… Read More
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Regenerative tipple anyone?
Diageo has announced two regenerative agriculture programmes in Scotland and Mexico for the whisky and tequila sectors. The programmes, focused on barley, wheat and agave, promise to enhance biodiversity, improve water stewardship and improve soil health. They will also play… Read More