Last year Diageo launched a prototype ‘smart’ whisky bottle, developed using Thin Film technology, which uses extremely thin, electronic sensors that can tell if a bottle has been opened and where it is in the supply chain, and allow brands to send information to customers who scan the bottle with their smartphones.

Later this month, at the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai, it was reported that the first prototype using similar technology but for the wine industry is set to be unveiled.

The wine bottle will feature smart technology that can sense when it has been opened and send targeted information to consumers to battle counterfeiters.

The ‘smart wine bottle’ can detect a product’s sealed and open states and wirelessly communicate content to a smartphone or device.

The tags contain unique identifiers that make it possible for companies to authenticate and track products, with the tags remaining active even after a product’s factory seal has been broken.

The CEO of Thinfilm, Davor Sutija, said in an article: “Winemakers and retailers currently are in need of a cost-effective and scalable means to track and confirm the authenticity of individual wine bottles across the supply chain.”

Counterfeit wine is a major problem worldwide, but especially in China, with Thinfilm claiming that up to 70 per cent of wine sold in China, particularly among premium brands, could be fake.