The trend toward refillable and reusable packaging is gaining momentum as more companies explore ways to reduce their use of single-use, hard-to-recycle packaging. This growth is partly driven by the goal of the Plastic Pact to deliver reusable packaging by 2025. Many of these initiatives are coming from startup and smaller brands, but multinational companies are also beginning to test the waters with small-scale trials and pilots. The dry food, household, and health and beauty sectors are currently the most active in this area.
Procter & Gamble and German drugstore dm's adoption of GS1's reusable transport box extends to 32 Gillette brand items.ThePackHubProcter & Gamble and German Drugstore Move to Reusable Crates
German drugstore dm, and consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) have adopted the GS1 Smart-Box, an innovative, standardized, and reusable transport box developed jointly by industry, retail and GS1 Germany. The companies used the example of Gillette to demonstrate the solutionβs potential in terms of efficiency: In one year, P&G was able to save more than 50 metric tons of disposable cardboard packaging in transport from the factory to retail distribution centers. So far, the manufacturer has only used the Smart-Box for 32 items from the Gillette range. Discussions are underway about its use in other categories, such as diapers/nappies and mouthwash. For the next step, P&G is now trying to save up to 30% of material in secondary packaging. The higher stability of the Smart-Box compared to a carton or tray on a pallet enables material savings in both primary and secondary packaging while also enabling lower CO2 emissions.
Circle K Sweden's returnable packaging scheme includes lunch boxes and mugs.ThePackHubCircle K Sweden to Pilot Returnable Packaging Scheme for Takeaway Food
Circle K Sweden is testing a reusable circular packaging system where customers will be offered lunch boxes and mugs to borrow for their takeaway food and beverages. This solution is a pilot collaboration with Panter and Tingstad Packaging, where Tingstad provides the products, while Panter has developed a digital return system. The customer creates an account with Panter, then borrowed lunch boxes and mugs are scanned in the web app, and then the containers are returned to any connected partner within seven days. The project is initially running at several stations in the Gothenburg area, and will then be rolled out at all at the turn of the year. Circle K serves over 30,000 cups of coffee and 80,000 hot meals daily at its stations nationwide.
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