Scotch whisky brand Nc’nean has launched a bottle return scheme, allowing DTC customers to return their empty bottles to the distillery to be re-used.
Each parcel sent by Nc’nean now contains a free Royal Mail returns label on the delivery note. To return their empty bottle, customers need simply affix the label to an appropriate sized parcel and make the return from a post office.
The scheme operates UK-wide and is claimed by Nc’nean to be the first of its kind for a whisky distiller in Scotland.
Each empty whisky bottle returned to Nc’nean saves an estimated 280g of carbon, according to the distillery.
Announcing the scheme, Nc’nean founder Annabel Thomas called on other scotch distillers to follow suit.
“If every bottle of whisky bought from a distillery’s website in Scotland could be returned for refilling, the collective carbon savings would be enormous,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to significantly reduce waste and protect the environment. As fierce protectors of nature, it’s an initiative we are proud to lead.”
Nc’nean, which began distilling on the west coast of Scotland in 2017, prides itself on its sustainable production ethos.
In 2021 it achieved verified net zero status for carbon emissions from its own operations (scopes 1 and 2), 20 years ahead of the scotch industry’s own target.
It also only uses 100% organic Scottish barley in production, eshews the use of peat and uses 100% recycled glass for its bottles.
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