One Box of Fred is equivalent to….
4 bottles of wine
20 glasses of wine in every box
The many Efficiencies of Bag in Box wine
Despite being around for many years, box wine has always been looked down upon by high-end winemakers and wine drinkers alike. But, as with so many aspects of modern culture, what was once old and tacky is now cool and trendy. The hipsters are bringing box wine into the limelight and giving it a chance to flourish. Not only is ‘Premium’ box wine gaining popularity, but it also aligns with many younger wine drinker’s passions for environmental conservation and sustainability.
1. LOWER ENERGY COSTS FOR BOXES VS BOTTLES
One of the core efficiencies is the environmental and cost benefits of producing, transporting, storing and consuming wine from a bag in a box. Although glass is recyclable, it’s also energy-intensive to produce; switching to plastic and cardboard is much less energy intensive to produce and the cardboard (and in some cases the plastic) can also be recycled.
2. LOWER CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS IN TRANSPORTATION
An article in the NY Times outlines the benefit of switching from glass to cardboard from a carbon emissions point of view:
“A standard wine bottle holds 750 milliliters of wine and generates about 5.2 pounds of carbon-dioxide emissions when it travels from a vineyard in California to a store in New York. A 3-liter box generates about half the emissions per 750 milliliters. Switching to wine in a box for the 97 percent of wines that are made to be consumed within a year would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about two million tons, or the equivalent of retiring 400,000 cars.”
3. LESS OXIDATION MEANS LONGER LIFE
The air-tight seal between the tap and bag means that wine in a box can be stored for weeks once opened without the taste being affected. The idea of being able to keep a 3L box of wine in the fridge and pouring the occasional glass as needed is ideal for many people.
4. BAG IN BOX WINE IS MORE ECONOMICAL
If the environmental benefits don’t have you convinced, then perhaps the economic benefits will. As packaging goes, glass is significantly more expensive to use than a box. If winemakers don’t have to pay for glass, they can reduce the cost of their product and pass on the savings to consumers. Even if producers keep a higher margin, the consumer can still benefit if winemakers invest in better equipment and improve the quality of their wine. Using cardboard rather than glass, quality wine in a bag-in-box can be sold at a more cost-effective price.
