Wine drinkers have been warned they can expect the price of a bottle to surge next year, in the most recent blow to shoppers amid the cost of living crisis.
Wine is said to be the latest product that will change its prices at the supermarket in the coming months. According to The Grocer, one source at a major supplier suggested that shoppers would face “big increases” in the cost of wine, adding that prices could prove “absolutely eye-watering”.
This is chiefly due to the rising cost of energy driving up the price of glass. Major wine suppliers are expecting to pay between 45% and 70% extra for bottles from next spring, after having already seen prices climb this year.
READ MORE: Co-op shops turns down the lights in its stores in a bid to cut energy bills
Kingsland Drinks MD Ed Baker explained: “Glass manufacturers are massively energy-intensive and even the component parts of glass are fundamentally energy-rich to derive. We have already worked on projects like weight in glass as much as possible.
“We already have bottles at 320g and more customers are moving down to those – you can’t go much lighter without having either look issues or breakage issues,” he added. Another element of the price increases comes from the cost of Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs).
Suppliers are obligated to buy these documents, which provide evidence that waste packaging material has been recycled into a new product, by law from recycling companies or schemes. But these have increased from around £45 to £200 per PRN, according to Baker.
The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has written to the government asking them to “take immediate action” on what it calls the “PRN crisis”. In a letter to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), CEO Miles Beale warned that the “tsunami of rising costs” could lead to the collapse of some small businesses.
Beale added: “In the UK we have seen glass prices rocket, exacerbated by increased demand following Covid lockdowns. Add to this continuing supply chain problems, increased production costs due to the price of energy and other inflationary pressures, and the clear conclusion is there is little sign of the prices going down any time soon.”
READ NEXT:
-
Skint Dad shares 10 tricks to afford Christmas with just two paydays left
-
Martin Lewis' energy bill warning to anyone paying by direct debit
-
Households warned of 'nonsense' energy saving myths you need to avoid
-
DWP urges older people to check if they are eligible for £3,300 Pension Credit
-
Shoppers hail 'amazing' air fryer cheaper alternative as 'best buy ever'
