Environmental sustainability policy

Our ambition at Virgin Wines is to operate in a way that brings joy to the planet, not just our wine glasses. The changes we make now, from vine to wine, aim to deliver lasting environmental improvements for our business, and our industry as a whole.

Reducing greenhouse gases

A major focus for us is reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. We’re proud to have a near-term SME science-based target approved by SBTi (Science Based Target initiative). Our commitment is to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% by 2030 (from a 2021 baseline), while also tackling Scope 3 emissions.

Having previously been verified carbon neutral under PAS 2060 for three years, we made the decision to step away from offsetting and carbon neutrality in 2025. Instead, we’re redirecting effort and investment into real, measurable reductions – because lasting change matters more than labels.

Our emissions continue to be independently audited under the ISO 14064-1 standard, ensuring transparency and accountability through extensive emissions reporting and external verification.

Recycling materials

In recent years, we ditched our bright red delivery boxes and replaced them with new designs made from 100% recycled materials. They also use over 70% less ink than our previous packaging.

We have rigorous recycling practices taking place across our sites in Bolton, Norwich and Preston. 0% of our warehouse waste goes to landfill, with 284.50 tonnes recycled or sent to an energy recovery facility (using waste to generate electricity and heat) in 2025.

Thinking sustainably

We are reviewing our suppliers to ensure all partners are acting in a sustainably responsible manner and have values that align with our own. This includes the introduction of a company-wide sustainable procurement policy.

We are proud members of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable and Harpers Sustainability Charter, both designed to inspire sustainable thinking across the wine industry. We’re committed to the Sustainable Wine Roundtable’s Bottle Weight Accord, promising to reduce our average 750ml bottle weight to 420g by 2026. We achieved this in 2025 with an average of 414.9g.

We'll continue to increase our bulk shipping and UK bottling by working with Greencroft Bottling, a BRC Grade AA+ rated company and a pioneer in sustainable practices.

We’ve also completed a double-materiality assessment and launched a three-year environmental strategy to ensure we focus on what matters most, now and long term.