Morrisons introduces new Green Leaf closure

Morrisons is to use a new, more environmentally responsible, type of screw cap closure on its own brand Soave 75cl wine. The introduction of the new cap, manufactured by Enoplastic, will make Morrisons the first major UK supermarket to introduce the Green Leaf (GL) screw cap closure, previously trialled in Italian, Australian and New Zealand markets.

The GL closure provides several ‘green’ benefits: it uses 64% less aluminium than a standard screw cap and can be completely removed from the bottle making it easier for the bottle to be recycled. The GL closure will also take up less space when being transported, equating to a 60% reduction in the size of cap shipments to the bottling plant, thus minimising Morrisons carbon footprint. Additionally, the GL closure is less prone to spinning than a standard screw cap.   

The adoption of the GL closure is just the latest of Morrisons ongoing ‘green’ initiatives.  Previous ‘green-focused’ activity includes the signing of WRAP's Courtauld Commitment 3. This aims to improve packaging design to maximise recycled content, improve recyclability and deliver product protection to reduce food waste, while ensuring there is no increase in the carbon impact of packaging by 2015*.  Morrisons was also the first major UK supermarket to be awarded the Carbon Trust Standard, a programme by which the supermarket aims to reduce total emissions by 30% before 2020. 

Steve Jackson, packaging development manager at Morrisons, adds: “Carbon reduction is highly important in all areas of our business and I am very pleased to have worked with the BWS team to launch this new closure.  It is an exciting new development in our ongoing efforts to reduce the environmental impact of Morrisons own brand packaging.”

The new seal, created using the same technology and construction materials as the standard screw cap, does not affect the taste of the Soave. As the bottling process also remains the same, neither price nor quality is affected, meaning customers will notice no difference between the new product and the Morrisons Soave they know and love.

Steve Mosey, Morrisons BWS category director, comments: “We are delighted to be the first major supermarket to bring the GL closure to the UK market.  This new launch is proof of our ambition to drive innovation in the category, which our BWS team has worked hard to keep fresh and relevant to our customers. We are proud to take responsibility for our own carbon reduction while keeping prices low.”

The Morrisons Soave with the new GL closure is now available in stores nationwide, RRP £3.99.

*from a 2012 baseline.

19 August 2014 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor