In the small world of spirits, there are announcements that resonate as a "finally". And this one, we admit, we've been waiting for a long time. Ever since we wrote that deposit and bulk buying in spirits were going to become a real trend. Yes, this article, published on ForGeorges: https://www.forgeorges.fr/spiritueux-le-vrac-et-la-consigne-nouvelle-tendance/. At the time, some looked at us as if we had suggested serving rum in hiking flasks. Today, no one is laughing anymore.
Because now, it's official: Ricard, Get 27, and Picon will be launching reusable deposit bottles starting in early 2026. The icons of the aperitif aisle are preparing their bottles for a return to the washing station. And that's not all...
A sector long hesitant... that finally dives in
Up until now, one cannot say that the spirits sector was rushing to the deposit system.
The only brand that had taken the plunge, like a lone pioneer, was William Peel, as early as 2021, with Loop.
Since then? Radio silence.
But 2024 has seen the birth of something quite rare to be noted: a coalition. Seven players agreeing in the same document:
• Cordier
• Bacardi-Martini France
• Pernod Ricard France
• Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits
• Campari
• Giffard
• Rémy Cointreau
All managed by Circul’R and Eco in Pack, with the kind support (and especially the funds) of Citeo and Adelphe.
The idea? To test deposit schemes on a large scale, together, and stop viewing reuse as an urban legend from a sustainability conference lounge.
2026: Ricard, Get 27, Picon… and four other brands join the movement
For this first full-scale test, six new brands will join the dance, in addition to the already committed Café de Paris wines:
• Ricard – 1 L
• Get 27 – 1 L
• Picon – 1 L
• Cointreau – 70 cl
• Menthe-Pastille – 70 cl
• Giffard Elderflower – 50 cl
On the wine side, Café de Paris (brut and semi-dry) continues the adventure that began this year.
Everything will be available in over 350 Carrefour and Monoprix points of sale, already equipped to stock Loop products.
How does it work? (The simple version, without an Excel spreadsheet)
1. The customer buys a bottle, recognizable by a special label, with a deposit of €0.50.
2. They return it to the store.
3. Loop reimburses the deposit to the customer.
4. Loop recharges the deposit to the manufacturer.
5. The bottles go to Eco in Pack, in Cognac, for immaculately clean washing.
6. They return to the manufacturers and are sent out for a new life.
All of this, partially funded by Citeo and Adelphe, to help things run smoothly and show that the spirits industry can also get in motion.
Why this is a major turning point
Because we are not talking about small, niche brands. We are talking about Ricard, probably the bottle most identified by the French! If Ricard is switching to deposit-refund, it means the industry can no longer pretend not to see the wave of reuse coming.
And above all: this confirms what we were writing years ago on ForGeorges: reuse in the spirits sector was not a utopia... but an inevitability.
What to expect next
If the trial is successful, we can finally imagine an alcohol aisle that no longer looks like a festival of glass being thrown away once.
Brands will benefit from:
• a reduction in their carbon footprint,
• a better image with the public,
• and potentially, a more virtuous economic model.
But most importantly, deposit-refund is becoming normal again, not marginal. And honestly, we've been waiting for this moment for a long time!
