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P a C ka GI n G Bottles race down a conveyor belt at Fairfield, Calif.-based Verallia, which recently was honored for its high level of energy efficiency. Looking again at Glass Despite competition, glass bottles still rule By Jane Firstenfeld eco-friendly containers, and many suppli- ers have stepped up to satisfy their needs with bag-in-box, TetraPak, Astrapouches, plastic and aluminum bottles, flasks and single-serves. But the overwhelming major- ity of wine in North America is still sold in glass bottles—and not just because that's the traditional package. Less than 10 years ago, the industry was doubtful that consumers would accept synthetic corks (let alone screwcaps), and bag-in-box (BiB) was limited to extremely low-end wines. This has all changed, but the fact remains: Glass is clearly king in terms of units sold. W Recent figures from our data partner Symphony IRI Group show that glass bottles (from 187ml to 4 liters) accounted for 82.8% of wine sales by volume for the year ending Nov. 28. During the same period, sales of standard 750ml bottles remained stable; single-serve 187ml bottles declined 1.4%; 1-liter bottles dropped 2.3%, and larger format 3L and 4L bottles dropped 2.6% and 1.6% respectively. Somewhat surprisingly, SIRI reported that simultaneously, BiB sales also declined in the 3L (down 2.2%) and 5L (minus 1.1%) sizes. Only aseptic (TetraPak and similar presentations) containers grew—by 10.3% in the half-liter and 1.6% in other sizes. 40 Wines & Vines MARCH 201 1 ine packaging has taken giant strides during the past decade, providing more options for contain- ers and closure. Many wineries now insist on Highlights • The vast majority of wine sold in North America is still packaged in glass bottles. • Bottle suppliers are making concerted efforts to improve their carbon footprints from the ground up. • Shipping accounts for only 5% of the carbon footprint for modern lightweight bottles. Nevertheless, North American purvey- ors of glass wine bottles responded to the perceived competitive threat by provid- ing greener options and ramping up promotion for recycling programs. Top suppliers including Owens-Illinois (O-I) and Verallia (formerly Saint-Gobain) became top sponsors at events like the annual Green Wine Summit in Santa Rosa, Calif., where company representa- tives explained their green initiatives to audiences motivated by environmental and cost concerns. In January, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency presented its Energy Star award to Verallia's Fairfield, Calif. distribution center, honoring its energy- efficiency. Industry rolls out innovation As we reported in "Save Costs and Shelf Appeal" in our January 2010 issue, Verallia, O-I, Global Package LLC, Encore! Glass and other longtime bottle suppliers turned up the green with lighter weight bottles in traditional colors and shapes to save manufacturing and shipping costs. For a picture-window overlook of the glass wine bottling industry, we spoke with Joe Cattaneo, president of the Glass Packaging Institute (gpi.org). According to Cattaneo, the wine segment represents only about 6% of North America's glass packaging industry. However, "It is the most profitable part of the glass container industry," he said. "We get higher value from the wine industry." Cattaneo stressed the flexibility of styles, sizes and closure options available for glass bottles. Although closures are chosen and purchased separately from bottles, "We set the standards on finishes for the glass." The closure industry sets its own standards, he pointed out, adding, "We've worked with them for years." GPI is working, too, at meshing its standards with those of producers in Europe and South America, Cattaneo said. While most wine bottles adhere to traditional shapes, and sizes are mandated by federal regulation, "A lot of wineries like their own look," Cattaneo pointed out. The GPI's annual Clear Choice Awards recognize outstanding bottle designs, among other categories.