Banrock Station flat wine bottles have won a Gold medal for Beverage Packaging Design of the Year at the Winners of the 2023 Australasian Packaging Innovation and Design (PIDA) Awards.

The bottles were a collaboration between sustainable packaging pioneers Packamama and Accolade Wines. The range was released in June 2022 and on sale exclusively at select Liquorland and First Choice Liquor Market stores nationally.

“We’re delighted to share that one of our Exclusive wines has won Gold! Banrock Station Eco-Bottle by Accolade Wines was awarded Beverage Packaging Design of the Year, recognising its truly innovative packaging,” Coles Liquor said.
 
The Banrock Station bottle shape takes a clever cross-sectional design of a traditional Bordeaux wine bottle face-on, but it is flat when turned on its side.

This change in form allows the same volume of wine (750mL) to be packed into a bottle that is 30% more spatially efficient than its round, glass predecessor, plus it is more efficient for stacking and transporting. The eco-bottles are made from 100% recycled PET, which is sourced from Australia, making them 84% lighter than the average round glass bottle.

With a flatter and slimmer bottle profile design, the eco-bottle can fit up to 50% more wine on a pallet, reducing freight costs and transport related CO2 emissions.

The Bronze winner was Wine Protector by Planet Protector Packaging, while the Silver winner was Penley Sustainability Range by Cutler Brands.

“Next to food, the beverage category has to be one of the most visibly creative in its presentation of packaging design, both in labels and primary containers, again with a strong focus on sustainability,” said PKN managing editor & publisher Lindy Hughson, who was co-host of the 2023 PIDA awards.

“The designs moving successfully from shelf to trolley are those combining sustainability with functionality, visual appeal, clear on-pack messaging and smart packaging utility – thus engaging consumers in a crowded category where there is a veritable proliferation of new products, both in the alcoholic and non-alcoholic sector.

“The ground has certainly shifted for beverage bottlers in terms of consumer pushback on single-use plastic, leading to a strong drive toward the use of post-consumer recycled plastic, a growing uptake of aluminium, and innovation in paper-based containers.”

Packamama’s chief executive and founder Santiago Navarro is confident the time is right for Australian winemakers to respectfully challenge a couple of centuries of tradition.

“Australia is globally recognised as a leader in wine packaging thanks to break-through innovations, including bag-in-box casks and screw-top caps for wines,” Navarro said.

“Coles’ ambition to be Australia’s most sustainable retailer is powerfully aligned with our ambition to deliver the world’s most scalable, sustainable bottle.”

Accolade Wines launched the eco-flat bottle three years ago in Europe and is on a mission to improve the sustainability of the wine industry. It has ambitious targets to advance circular economy packaging across its entire portfolio.

“In the last 18 months alone, we have launched a variety of sustainable and innovative packaging solutions including wine in cans, wine on tap, bagnums, as well as a world-first circular, sustainable packaging solution for on-premise partners,” said Sandy Mayo, Accolade Wines Global Chief Marketing Officer said last year.

“We chose Banrock Station to launch the eco bottle in Australia, because the environmental credentials fit perfectly with the brand’s 25 year sustainability heritage and its commitment to forging a more sustainable future for the planet. By purchasing Banrock Station wine, wine-lovers can rest assured that they are doing something positive for the environment while enjoying delicious, sustainably-made wine from South Australia.”

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