To compliment our busy lifestyles, manufacturers have been coming up with fast and easy alternative options to food and drink for years now. The latest time-saver to come out of France is the Bordeaux in a Box, wine consumed out of a carton through a straw. 'Whatever next?', you might ask.

France Drinking less Wine
The product named Tandem is produced by Cordier Mestrezat, who are attempting to revive flagging wine sales among new, young urbanites. In the last 40 years, annual wine consumption in France has reduced by 100 litres to just 55 litres per person, spelling worrying sales statistics for the wine industry.

Wine To Go
The new product aims to attract office workers who reach for easy-to-carry juices and soft drinks, according to David Bolzan, Cordier Mestrezat's managing director: "Instead of buying a soda to go with their sandwich, people might want a bit of Bordeaux. If you're having lunch at your desk and you want a drop of wine, you're not going to get a bottle, a glass and a corkscrew. But you could buy a carton."

The Sensory Straw
The sensation of drinking from a glass will not be lost, however, as according to Bolzan the addition of a "sensory straw" - with four holes rather than one – will mean that the wine sprays around the palate. However, the drawback of not being able to smell the bouquet or see the colour may turn die-hard connoisseurs away from the idea.