Tesco trials plastic brandy bottles

Tesco is continuing its efforts to reduce carbon emissions from packaging by trialling the use of plastic bottles for its own-brand brandy as well as introducing lightweight glass bottles for its range of wines.

Tesco claims the new brandy bottles will lead to an 86% reduction in packaging, while the 300g wine bottles are 30% lighter than Tesco’s previous own-label bottles and will save 560 tonnes of glass every year.

The supermarket giant is currently working with suppliers to cut the packaging on 4,000 products.

Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Tesco’s executive director, said: "Tesco is always breaking new ground with innovative approaches to packaging. However, more significantly, we’re working with our suppliers so that we reach our target of a 30% reduction in the carbon impact of the products in our supply chain by 2020."

Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy has said the retailer is committed to becoming a zero-carbon business by 2050.

Alan Lodge, 08.03.2010