Aldi to remove protective sleeves from own-label wine bottles in the UK

Aldi is set to become the first UK supermarket to remove protective sleeves from corked own-label wines, a move that will eliminate an estimated 38 tons of packaging annually.

Following a trial since March 2024, Aldi will roll out the change across all 46 of its corked wine lines by the end of 2025. Selections such as Côtes du Rhone, Rioja Reserva, and Atlantique Rosé will be sold without the aluminium and plastic sleeves.  

Luke Emery, national sustainability director at Aldi UK, says: “We know that sustainability is a priority for our customers, and we’re always looking for new ways to reduce packaging and offer more sustainable choices.”

Eco-friendly wine packaging

The initiative is part of Aldi’s broader commitment to providing environmentally sustainable solutions. In January, the retailer partnered with The Hidden Sea, a wine manufacturer, to launch its Kooliburra Hidden Sea Chardonnay, which funds the removal of ocean plastic. 

For every bottle sold, the equivalent of ten plastic bottles’ worth of waste is cleared from the sea.  

“Launching wines with naked corks is a step in the right direction, and we’re proud to be the first supermarket to introduce this change across our entire range of own-brand quality corked wines,” says Emery.

Last year, Aldi collaborated with Packamama and rolled out the “UK’s first” supermarket own-brand flat wine bottles within its Chapter & Verse label. The recyclable ergonomic packaging concept is made from  recycled PET.