The next big thing in wine bottles?

The big thing now is sustainability. Companies that make an effort to reduce their carbon footprint improve their public image and, in most cases, it improves business. There are some industries, however, that aren't ready for this kind of change. One of those is the wine industry.

Yealands, a sustainable wine maker from New Zealand, is starting to put its wines in plastic bottles. Manufacturing their recyclable PET bottles generates 54% less greenhouse gas emissions and uses 19% less energy. This all sounds good, but I don't know how it will work out.

Wine is one of those products where most customers don't know the difference between high and low quality by just looking at it. They look at the label, the region, and most importantly the price. Wine in a plastic bottle is going to rub people the wrong way. I am not going to look at a plastic bottle next to the traditional glass and assume that the wine in plastic is of better quality. For one, it's different, and people aren't comfortable with change. Also, plastic is considered cheaper than glass, and if you're cheaply packaging your product, maybe it doesn't deserve better. Consumers take weight into account when they are assessing quality, as well. Weights are often added to plastic products to make them appear more expensive.

The screw off cap is supposed to make wine last longer. I know of people who know that and don't buy wine bottles with them because they are comfortable with the cork and think it means quality. I think sustainable business practices are generally a great idea, but in some cases, they wont translate into sales.