Remy Martin develops ‘smart’ cognac bottle to help combat counterfeits in China

Chinese consumers concerned about counterfeit cognac will soon be able to verify the authenticity of a bottle of Remy Martin via their cellphone, the French cognac giant said.

The “smart” bottle of Remy Martin Club Connected Cognac, sold only in China, will be available in the coming months in “nightclubs in three big Chinese cities”, said Florence Puech, a spokeswoman for the firm which dates back to 1724.

Consumers can download a special app onto their smartphones, developed in partnership with Selinko - a technology company - which will communicate with a chip in the bottle cap.

The technology will allow them to ensure the bottle has never been opened as well as other information about its content.

It also has a marketing component, allowing cognac connoisseurs to join a fidelity programme.

The choice of China as a launchpad for the technology “is not by chance” Puech said on Wednesday, adding that counterfeit alcohol in the country was “real and not insignificant.”