Target will launch low-carbon paper wine bottles across nearly 1200 stores as part of its broader sustainability efforts.

The bottles – designed by British packaging company Frugalpac –  are made from 94 per cent recycled paperboard and a food-grade pouch to hold the liquid. 

According to Frugalpac, the paper bottle is five times lighter than a traditional glass bottle and uses 84 per cent less carbon and energy to manufacture and dispose of.

The company estimates that the carbon footprint of a standard glass wine bottle is about 440g, compared to just 91.9g for the Frugal Bottle.

Malcolm Waugh, CEO of Frugalpac, said the partnership with Target was a proud moment for the business.

“The US has been a real trailblazer in our paper bottle revolution,” he said. “Its wines and spirits brands were among the first to move to the Frugal Bottle, and it is clear there is a growing market for people who want to drink more sustainably.”

Target has ordered 256,000 Frugal Bottles for its Collective Good Wine range, which includes a Red Blend, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio.

The Collective Good range is a collaboration between California’s Latitude Wines (LWX), which sourced and imported the wines, and Monterey Wine Company, which filled the paper bottles.

Shannon Valladarez, GM for Monterey Wine Company, said the company was so impressed with the Frugal Bottle that it has acquired its production machine, capable of producing more than 2.5 million bottles a year.

“This launch is a testament to the collaboration of committed corporations to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint while delivering quality wines in cutting-edge, eco-friendly packaging,” Valladarez concluded. 

Last year, Whole Foods stocked Bonny Doon’s Chardonnay wine in the Frugal Bottle at select locations. However, Target’s rollout marks a major US retailer’s first adoption of paper wine bottles.