Will wine in tubes be the next big thing?

With wine in cans going great guns and bag-in-box shaking off its stigma, Waitrose is pioneering the next sustainable packaging trend – wine in tubes.

Keen to capitalise on a growing consumer thirst for more eco friendly wine packaging, the supermarket claims it is the first in the UK to sell wine in a tube.

In collaboration with forward thinking Italian producer, Orion Wines, the ‘bag in tube’ wines are 100% recyclable and contain the equivalent of three 75cl bottles. According to Waitrose, once opened, the wine remains fresh for ten days longer than a glass bottle.

The brainchild of Orion’s chief winemaker, Alessandro Michelon, the organic Fiano from Puglia has been on sale at Waitrose for a while in glass bottles.

Maree d’Ione Fiano has aromas of “green apple, pear and almond” and pairs well with grilled sardines and roasted vegetable dishes.

On sale for the first time is Terre di Faiano Rosso, a blend of Negroamaro, Primitivo and Cabernet Sauvignon from the winemaking team behind Waitrose’s popular Terre di Faiano Primitivo. Both wines carry an RRP of £25.99.

“This is an important step in forward our efforts to become the leading sustainable retailer in the UK,” said Waitrose wine buyer, Marien Rodriguez.

“These Italian wines offer customers the possibility to enjoy wine in a sustainable way. They are organic, vegan and come in a beautifully designed, fully recyclable and convenient tube.

“The demand from our customers for more sustainable products and packaging, as well as organic and vegan wine continues to rise and we feel these wines are the perfect addition to our range,” Rodriguez added.