SIG has launched Australia’s first recycle-ready bag-in-box packaging for wine, developed and manufactured at its Adelaide facility, in collaboration with leading wine producers Hill-Smith Family Estates, Vinarchy, DeBortoli Wines and Calabria Family Wines.
The development builds on SIG’s track record in bag-in-box innovation and follows the introduction of Australia’s first recycle-ready bag for water in 2024. It forms part of the company’s ambition to create a regenerative food packaging system.
At the core of the new design is SIG Terra RecShield, a mono-material film with a specially formulated polymer structure that replaces the conventional multi-layer, aluminium-containing film. This change means that all components of the bag-in-box – the bag, tap and carton – are now recycle-ready.
SIG says the packaging meets the Sustainable Packaging Guidelines set by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) and supports the 2025 National Packaging Targets.
SIG’s Adelaide-based R&D team has also developed the first locally manufactured wine tap made from light grey polymers, designed to be easily detected by optical sorters at Australian recycling facilities, improving material recovery rates and the quality of recycled outputs.
When assessed through APCO’s Packaging Recyclability Evaluation Portal (PREP), the complete pack receives a “Check Locally” classification under the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL), directing consumers to kerbside recycling where available, or to alternative drop-off points such as supermarkets or council collection centres.
The integrity and performance of the recycle-ready pack have been validated through extensive shelf-life testing and transport trials conducted with SIG’s winery partners.
According to SIG, bag-in-box wine formats already offer environmental benefits compared to glass bottles, including lower transport emissions, efficient storage and extended freshness once opened due to reduced light and oxygen exposure. The removal of the aluminium layer further reduces the carbon footprint and simplifies recycling.
Carmen Houston, ANZ Head of Marketing & Sustainability at SIG: “SIG has been at the forefront of bag-in-box packaging globally and this product continues our commitment to innovation and leadership in sustainable packaging solutions for our customers, consumers and the planet.
“Working with APCO and our winery partners, we are bringing a recycle-ready solution to market that fits Australian recycling infrastructure while maintaining wine quality through the supply chain.”
Hill-Smith Family Estates executive director – Wine, Jason Spiteri, said the company’s Winesmiths brand has led the varietal bag-in-box wine category in Australia for more than four decades. “We’re pleased to continue that legacy of innovation with this Australian-first, recycle-ready bag-in-box packaging from SIG,” he said.
SIG’s Australian R&D team is continuing to develop further recycle-ready solutions for other beverage and foodservice applications, with additional launches planned in the future.
