At Cointreau, we see environmental challenges as a source of innovation and as a means of transforming our value chain for the better.
Reducing the footprint of our bottles and our value chain
Our commitments
Our commitments
• Innovate to achieve a more sustainable design for our iconic bottle
• Reduce the environmental footprint of our production
• Drive positive change in our distribution methods
ECODESIGN
ECODESIGN
Cointreau has already eliminated all unnecessary packaging (boxes) and is constantly striving to reduce the carbon
footprint of its bottles. Each product systematically undergoes an environmental impact analysis.
Cointreau bottles, which are composed of 64% recycled glass, reduce the need to extract virgin raw materials by recovering existing materials. The company is also actively committed to the development of re-use, mainly through its participation in the ecoSPIRITS programme. A deposit scheme is also currently being studied with a view to taking this sustainable approach even further.
NATURAL RESOURCES
NATURAL RESOURCES
Cointreau is implementing structural initiatives to reduce the environmental footprint of its production, which is mainly linked to distillation. Since 1997, the company has achieved a 45% reduction in water consumption, now using only 1 litre of water to produce 1 litre of liqueur, down from 1.8 litres previously.
Cointreau also uses renewables: since 2017, green electricity has powered our site, and since 2021, our boilers have run on biogas. These measures have reduced our CO2 emissions by almost 90% for bottling and distillation operations.
DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION
The way in which our bottles are transported is also an issue of major importance. To limit our impact, Cointreau uses reusable barrels for transport. The GreenWin project also promotes rail transport to move products from Angers to Le Havre. Soon, our bottles will be taking to the seas on sailing ships operated by the Neoline company.
At our Angers site, 100% of the waste (glass, cardboard, wood and plastic) produced each year is now sorted and recycled: 97% is recovered as materials and 3% as energy.
The fruit that we harvest peels from is now 60% recycled by our partners to produce orange juice and candied fruit, or is redistributed to be used as animal feed. The bark used during the distillation process is fully recycled as compost. Finally, some terpenes are reused by the perfume industry.
COINTREAU AND ECOSPIRITS: MOVING TOWARDS CIRCULAR DISTRIBUTION
COINTREAU AND ECOSPIRITS: MOVING TOWARDS CIRCULAR DISTRIBUTION
In March 2023, Cointreau joined forces with ecoSPIRITS to deploy a closed-loop distribution system. This partnership paved the way for the launch of a pilot project - the brand’s first - in the UK involving the provision of a circular packaging solution for bars, restaurants and hotels. The project reduces single-use packaging and optimises storage space, while cutting regular glass and cardboard waste. The trial resulted in the sale of 1,300 ecoTOTETMs (the equivalent of 8,300 bottles of Cointreau). The solution also reduced packaging by 5.4 tonnes and saved 6.5 tonnes of CO2. On the strength of this success, Cointreau and ecoSPIRITS are planning to roll out the solution to the United States in the near future.
