A New Zealand wine will be the first to display its carbon emissions by the individual glass serving.
Each bottle of Mobius Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc will display its carbon emissions, per 125ml glass, on the label.
The carbon emissions, which are calculated to measure the environmental impact of factors such as transportation and refrigeration, will be measured separately for each different export market.
Bottles shipped in New Zealand, for example, will carry a figure of 140g CO2, whereas bottles sold in Australia will display 190g.
A higher figure is due to be calculated for the UK market.
The timing of the launch comes at a time when low prices, rather than environmental concerns, are driving wine sales.
Craig Fowles, sustainability and compliance coordinator at The New Zealand Wine Company, which produces Mobius, admitted: ‘Price is still the number one factor for consumers. Ethics and the environment are lower priorities. But after the recession, people will be looking for products that give them a warm fuzzy feeling.’
A 750ml bottle of wine at 190g CO2 per glass equates to a 5km car journey or 14km ride on the London underground.
Written by Rebecca Gibb
