Familia Torres has participated in Madrid in the presentation of the results of REBO2VINO, the first project on a national scale that analyzes the impact and feasibility of a glass bottle reuse system within the Spanish wine sector, specifically targeting the Horeca channel. This initiative, grounded in the principles of the circular economy, has enabled the development of a comprehensive diagnosis of the barriers, limitations, and opportunities associated with implementing a reuse model in the sector. Various scenarios have been evaluated from environmental, economic, and logistical perspectives.
The event was inaugurated by Margarita Ruiz, Deputy Director General of Circular Economy at MITECO, who provided an overview on the current regulatory framework and upcoming legislative developments in Spain and Europe regarding packaging management.
During the event, Josep Maria Ribas, Director of Climate Change at Familia Torres, participated in a roundtable discussion titled "The reuse of glass bottles in the wine sector: key aspects and future perspectives." This session highlighted the project's main milestones, including the creation of a standard reusable bottle by Verallia, two pilot tests led by Familia Torres and González Byass in restaurants in Catalonia and Jerez, respectively, the development of a reverse logistics management application by Minsait, and a study on consumer perception.
The day concluded with remarks from Isabel Bombal, Director General of Rural Development, Innovation, and Agri-food Training at MAPA, who underlined the importance of initiatives such as REBO2VINO to progress towards a more sustainable agri-food model, encouraging the expansion of the results in future projects.
Advancing the sustainability of packaging materials
The reuse of glass bottles represents a significant opportunity to reduce CO2 emissions generated by the wine sector while optimizing the use of natural resources—critical considerations in the current climate crisis. For Familia Torres, packaging materials account for approximately one-quarter of its total carbon footprint, with glass bottles being the primary contributor in this category, according to Miguel Torres S.A.'s audited emissions report for 2022.
Miguel A. Torres, President of Familia Torres, stated: "The reuse of glass bottles is an excellent alternative for certain markets and types of wine, provided a standard bottle model can be implemented, ideally at the European level." He also emphasized: "This is the next step we aim to take after significantly reducing the weight of the bottles used for our wines."
Since 2008, as part of its Torres & Earth environmental program, Familia Torres has been consistently working to reduce the weight of glass bottles used in its wineries to minimize its carbon footprint. Currently, the average weight of the 75 cl bottles produced by its wineries in Spain is below the European light bottle standard of 420 grams.
About REBO2VINO
The REBO2VINO project (October 2022 - March 2025) has been developed by an Operational Group led by the Spanish Wine Federation (FEV) and includes the participation of 9 nine other entities representing various links in the wine value chain: Familia Torres, Minsait (an Indra company), Verallia Spain, González Byass, Artica Ingeniería e Innovación (artica+i), the UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF, and collaborating partners such as the Association of Manufacturers and Distributors (AECOC), Ecovidrio, and Hostelería de España.
The project has received a grant of € 563,721.90, fully financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) of the European Union, under the framework of the National Rural Development Program 2014-2022, with funds from the European Recovery Instrument (EU Next Generation).
