Mercadona brings back glass bottles for its chilled horchata

Mercadona brings back glass for its chilled horchata: a return to quality or a branding move?

After two years of plastic, Juan Roig's supermarket chain appears to be bringing back the glass bottle for its chilled horchata. The news, welcomed by the most purist consumers, reopens the debate over what the product actually gains from the packaging change. Not every supermarket abandoned glass, though: Carrefour, Alcampo and Ahorramás kept it for their Valencian own-brand versions, according to shoppers who compare the shelves.

The manufacturer shared by all the brands

A relevant detail: both Mercadona's horchata and Carrefour's chilled plastic-bottled version are produced by the same manufacturer, Panach. This explains why, beyond the packaging, the recipe may be similar. Critics point out, however, that the sugar content has risen while the tiger nut content has fallen, a common move in own-brand products to cut costs.

The raw material: imported tiger nuts

Another issue is where the tiger nuts come from. It is mentioned that part of the harvest comes from Mali, introducing foreign dependence into a traditionally Valencian product. Anyone who can grow their own tiger nuts in the garden – an option some defend ironically – is guaranteed 103% tiger nut, but that is not realistic for mass consumption.

The return to glass can be read as a nod to consumers who associate glass with quality. But if what is inside does not improve, the packaging alone is not enough. With a concentrated manufacturer and globalised raw materials, traditional horchata is increasingly a label product.