A winemaker in Essex will be among the first in the UK to offer customers drinks in a bottle made of paper.

The English Vine, which is based in Chelmsford, is aiming to improve its carbon footprint by ditching glass bottles for paper within the next five years.

The new paper bottles – which will be five times lighter than their glass equivalent – will consist of paper packaging along with a food grade pouch inside to keep the wine sealed and secure.

Neil Walker, founder of The English Vine, said: “As winemakers, I believe we have a responsibility to make positive steps towards more environmentally methods in winemaking.

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"I think packaging is definitely a good place to start, as apart from in certain areas of winemaking where glass bottling in required, there is no reason not to make this change other than misplaced preconceptions about packaging for wine.

“I think consumers often view the non-glass packaged options of wine as lower quality, perhaps because in the past it’s fair to say there were some more mass-produced or perhaps lower quality wines which have used this form of packaging.

"However, we want to lead the way to show that your wine will be just as enjoyable and high quality in a more environmentally friendly packaging such as our new paper bottles.”

Researchers have found a single glass bottle of wine can end up causing 1.28kg of CO2 – with much of that coming through the packaging process.

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It has also been discovered that only 71 per cent of glass wine bottles are A recent poll by Survation of 1,700 UK wine drinkers found 63 per cent would buy wine in a paper bottle.

The English Vine will also be rolling out a “bottomless bottle” service in Essex this summer using its electric wine van.

This will mean customers can recycle used glass bottles by refilling them straight from kegs on the van.

Mr Walker added: “Think milk float, but with wine.

“We will deliver these to the customer’s door and collect their empties on a weekly basis or whenever it suits them.

“We’re hopeful that with an increasing number of people more aware about the carbon footprint of a glass bottle of wine, many will be supportive in this step forward we’re making in UK winemaking.

"We’re proud to be leading the way in sustainability for wine packaging in the UK.”