ALPLA is launching a recyclable wine bottle made of PET.

The bottle weighs approximately only an eighth of a glass bottle and reduces the carbon footprint by up to 50 percent. It can be made entirely of recycled PET (rPET). The packaging solution is available in 0.75-liter and 1-liter bottle sizes. ALPLA’s PET wine bottles are up to 30 percent less expensive than glass bottles, depending on the requirements.

It’s already being used in Austria by pilot customer and development partner Wegenstein. The first Wegenstein white wine bottles recently went into circulation, making them part of the Europe-wide bottle-to-bottle loop.

ALPLA plans to manufacture several million units a year starting in 2025. The company is also developing solutions made entirely of rPET.

“PET is light, unbreakable and recyclable, and can be molded with little energy needed, making the plastic the ideal packaging solution,” says Daniel Lehner, global sales director, food and beverage, ALPLA. “With it, winemakers can improve their environmental footprint and lower their costs. The plastic packaging meets all the quality requirements, is available as a transparent or a green bottle and is suitable for all types of wine.”

The sustainable packaging solution works with conventional metal screw caps and is compatible with winemakers’ bottling lines. Wegenstein fills the PET bottles on the same bottling lines as its glass bottles.

“The PET bottle lives up to what it promises,” says Herbert Toifl, managing director of Wegenstein. “It is visually appealing, ensures our quality and is practical. We are making an innovative offer to consumers who care about our environment and our climate.”