Pints of wine to soon be available in British shops

The government has revealed a new 568ml size will be available alongside the already-existing 200ml and 500ml measures.

The Department for Business and Trade has said it will offer more flexibility and choice for customers.

Some 900 vineyards, which currently produce around 12.2 million bottles of still or sparkling wine a year, are set to benefit from the new post-Brexit “freedoms”, it added.

Currently, still wine cannot be sold in 200ml quantities and sparkling wine cannot be sold in 500ml amounts, but this will also be changed.

The decision behind the wine bottle sizes is to offer more flexibility and choice for customers (Image: PA)

Bottles or cans can be sold in 200ml and 500ml quantities to bring more alignment between the two drinks.

Wine size gives 'freedom of choice' to customers

Although a new size of wine bottle has been approved there is no obligation for businesses to sell it if they do not wish.

The government also used the announcement to confirm that after “careful consideration” it had decided not to introduce any new legislation following its consultation on choice around units of measurement, the PA News Agency reported.

This was published in June last year and received more than 100,000 responses.

The consultation considered government proposals to remove the requirement to show metric units alongside imperial units in trade, or allow metric units to be shown with less prominence than imperial units.

Analysis showed 98.7% of respondents were in favour of using metric units when buying or selling products.

Kevin Hollinrake, Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business, said: “Innovation, freedom and choice – that’s what today’s announcement gives to producers and consumers alike.

“Our exit from the EU was all about moments just like this, where we can seize new opportunities and provide a real boost to our great British wineries and further growing the economy.”

WineGB chief executive Nicola Bates said: “We welcome the chance to be able to harmonise still and sparkling bottle sizes and we are happy to raise a glass to the greater choice.”