A wine company has launched a ‘flat’ bottle of wine that will fit through a letterbox – just in time for the festive season.
The eco-friendly containers from London-based Garcon wines are made entirely from pre-existing, recycled plastic.
They’re designed to fit through an average UK letterbox and are both more lightweight and spatially efficient than round, glass bottles – but have the same 75cl volume.
According to its website, Garcon’s aim was to cut the costs of failed deliveries – which in the UK alone are estimated to be £1.6 billion – and help to reduce the near one million kilograms of carbon emissions associated with missed deliveries in the UK.
London-based Garcon wines has created an eco-friendly flat wine bottle designed to fit through an average UK letterbox – made entirely of pre-existing, recycled plastic
The bottles, which were dubbed ‘the biggest advance in wine packaging in 200 years’ by Forbes, cost £13.99 and have won over fans including Sir David Attenborough.
In a letter to the company, the nature historian said: ‘I can see its advantage if it is manufactured from pre-existing plastic, with the additional saving of energy from weight reduction, and wish you every success with it.’
With families in the UK increasingly considering more sustainable and thoughtful ways to consume food and drink. it’s not surprising the bottles are generating fans.
The bottles – which are available from Funky Pigeon, Next and Moonpig among others – are made from completely recycled materials, meaning each one saves more than 500g of CO2 compared to the average bottle.
As they are flat, they also stack neatly on the shelf – almost like a book.
The bottles, which were dubbed ‘the biggest advance in wine packaging in 200 years’ by Forbes, cost £13.99 and have won over fans including Sir David Attenborough
Varieties of Garcon wine include a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot, and a Spanish rose.
The company’s founder, Santiago Navarro, said the wine industry has only recently moved towards conversations about the environment.
He told EuroNews: ‘During a time in which people are uncomfortable about plastic, I’ve done the inverse.
‘I’ve spoken more, I’ve engaged more, and I’ve taken any opportunity, big or small, to share what we’re doing
‘We were trying to use a 19th century vessel in a 21st century world. Most wine companies don’t think about the packaging, they just take what has been around and inherit it. It’s an antiquated model.’
As they are flat, the bottles of wine also stack neatly on your shelf – almost like a book
The launch comes as British supermarkets won more than a dozen top prizes at a prestigious international wine awards.
Own-label wines from Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Morrisons all took home gold awards in the International Wine Challenge, which is considered one of the world’s most rigorous wine tasting competitions.
Meanwhile budget brand Aldi was awarded yet another top prize for its Tasmanian Terraverde Pinot Noir 2018 (£10.99), which is sold exclusively by the German retailer.
British supermarkets have won top prizes at a prestigious international wine awards. The Sparkling category belonged to M&S, which won gold for its Delacourt Champagne Vintage Brut, 2004 (£27), left, and its Le Caves De Hautes Côtes Crémant De Bourgogne Brut, NV (£10)
Best of all, the bottles don’t cost a fortune – with prices starting from as little as £6.25.
The International Wine Challenge, which took place across four days last month, saw more than 200 industry experts sample thousands of wines from around the world.
Each bottle was given a rating out of 100. Those that scored 95 or more are given a gold award – the highest tier available.
Thirteen gold medals were given to wines available at five of the UK’s most popular supermarkets: Aldi, M&S, Morrisons, Tesco and Waitrose.