From plantbottle to greenbottle

Several beverage categories depend on oil-based PET packaging and Coca-Cola is leading the way for alternative materials with its PlantBottle.

Now the glass-dominated wine sector is facing its own challenge. The GreenBottle, due to be launched in 2012, is paper based with a thin plastic lining.

The same shape as standard wine bottles, it will have a screw cap and will be fully recyclable by separating the plastic from the paper. Its weight and carbon footprint will be around 10% of its glass equivalent.

A technical triumph, but a test for tipplers.