The change, which is due to be implemented across all of Aldi UK’s own-label wines by the end of this year, comes about after a successful in-store trial last years.
All-in-all, 46 wines sealed under cork will no longer have capsules/foils, meaning that wines such as the Specially Selected Primitivo di Manduria (£8.69) and the Chassaux Et Fils Atlantique Rosé (£6.99) will be ‘naked’.
Aldi UK’s national sustainability director Luke Emery said that sustainability was “a priority” for customers, and that Aldi is “always looking for new ways to reduce packaging and offer more sustainable choices”.
“Launching wines with naked corks is a step in the right direction,” Emery continued, “and we’re proud to be the first supermarket to introduce this change across our entire range of own-brand quality corked wines.”
According to Aldi, the move would remove 38 tonnes of packaging per year.
Beyond the sustainability merits, it may also be a canny move to shave off some of the cost of the wine – db has reached out to Aldi to ask how much money this might save, though no reply has yet been given.
Circular economy
Although Aldi may have moved away from certain elements of wine packaging, it should be noted that the closures industry is embracing the notion of a ‘circular economy’ – with waste from manufacturing recycled, reused and repurposed. For example, some capsule manufacturers use large proportions of post-industrial and post-consumer waste to manufacture their products.
