Wine chooses aluminium: Ardagh’s 250ml can brings alcohol-free BarLoca to European shelves

Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) has supplied a 250 mL aluminium wine can for Royal Swinkels’ BarLoca, an alcohol-free wine now launching across the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The BarLoca Bianco and Rosso variants come in a semi-matt can developed specifically for wine, with a design blocking light and air and an interior lining intended to preserve the product’s quality and taste.

The format is crafted to bring the convenience of aluminium packaging to wine. Lightweight and unbreakable, the can is easy to transport, chill and store, while its single-serve format is suited to consumers looking for greater flexibility.

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Referring to the new product line, AMP says it is the only can manufacturer in Europe producing cans specifically for the wine sector, bringing “unique expertise to this growing category.”

Flemming Morth, Head of New Drinks at Royal Swinkels, mentioned, “The 250 mL size makes it easy to pour just one glass, switch between red and white, and have wine at moments when a full bottle doesn’t make sense.” Collaboration with AMP helped Swinkels conceive “a can that preserves the quality of the wine and stands out on the shelf.”

Gerlof Toenhake, Director of Marketing and Business Development for AMP Europe, added, “BarLoca is an innovative 0.0 per cent wine concept, and it deserves a packaging solution that reflects that innovation.”

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Aluminium can targets expanding beverage occasions

AMP says the BarLoca launch comes as no- and low-alcohol beverages gain greater relevance in the beverage market. Made from Southern Italian wine and de-alcoholised at Royal Swinkels’ brewery in Lieshout, the Netherlands, BarLoca is designed to offer consumers the wine experience without alcohol.

“With BarLoca 0.0 per cent wine, we set out to do what alcohol-free beer has done for beer drinkers,” Morth noted and added, “We wanted wine drinkers to keep the wine experience when they choose to skip the alcohol.”

The wider alcohol-free beverage category is also seeing packaging developments. Bero, a premium brewery co-founded by Tom Holland and John Herman, has launched its signature pilsner in a glass bottle alongside its existing aluminium can packaging. The company says it is the first brand to introduce non-alcoholic beer in a glass bottle in the US.

At the recent BrauBeviale 2026 trade show, Krones also highlighted filling and processing technology aimed specifically at the growth of alcohol-free beer.

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These developments point to further opportunities for wine in AMP’s cans. The company says the format combines aluminium’s benefits with the convenience needed across social gatherings, meals, outdoor occasions, festivals, terraces and everyday consumption at home.

“Many consumers are increasingly looking for health-conscious and convenient beverage choices, while expectations around taste and quality remain high,” AMP stated.

Demand for convenient, on-the-go packaging is extending beyond alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages into categories including snacks, beauty and personal care.

Meanwhile, Ardagh Holdings was preparing in August for a potential sale of some or all of its nearly 76 per cent stake in AMP to a third-party buyer. However, a Luxembourg court blocked the sale last month.

With rising demand for alcohol-free beverages and convenient packaging, aluminium cans are emerging as a promising packaging format. With its dedicated aluminium wine can combining product protection, convenience and single-serve flexibility, AMP is well placed to help beverage brands take wine beyond the traditional bottle and into newer, more versatile formats.