Wines & Spirits Coalition

Context

Packaging accounts for 30 to 40% of the carbon footprint of a full bottle. Glass reuse delivers a consistent environmental advantage over single use from 2 to 4 rotations onwards, but implementing it requires substantial investment and close coordination between brands, retailers and logistics operators.

Approach

Launched in July 2025, the coalition brings together 8 brand owners (Bacardi-Martini France, Campari France, Cordier, Giffard, Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits, Moët Hennessy, Pernod Ricard, Rémy Cointreau) and 3 distributors (France Boissons, Richard Vins et Spiritueux, C10-Centrale Européenne de Distribution).

After several months of scoping (deposit scheme, test areas, collection and washing logistics), the first deposit-return bottles - Café de Paris, Cointreau, Get 27, Picon, Ricard, San José, William Peel, Crème de Fleur de Sureau and Menthe Pastille - are being rolled out in early 2026 in the out-of-home market, in the Paris region, around Rennes and in Corrèze, with an extension planned to 50 bars, hotels and restaurants. Empty bottles are collected on the distributors' rounds and then washed at the Eco in Pack washing facility before being returned to the circuit. In grocery retail, the full range of deposit-return products is available from April 2026, with return points operated by Loop, notably in partner stores of the Carrefour network.

Objective

To pool volumes, costs and learnings in order to make reuse economically and operationally viable across the value chain, in response to the AGEC law's target of 10% reused packaging by 2027.

Expected outcomes

• Return rates, volumes collected and washed, breakage rates
• Quality after washing and full logistics costs
• Environmental impacts and buy-in from trade professionals and consumers

Partners

The coalition is led by Circul'R and Eco in Pack, with the support of UMVIN and FFS, and financial and operational backing from Citeo and Adelphe.