Reuse: using packaging multiple times

Nowadays, innovative reuse concepts are increasingly sought-after.

Innovative reusable packaging solutions are required to meet the needs of a global circular economy. And this approach is gaining more and more support from legislators.

We see this as an opportunity to rethink packaging.

Join the circular revolution!

When packaging is reused, it does not end up in the garbage, so the problem of disposal is no longer a factor. That is why retailers in Germany and France, for example, are already required to offer alternatives to single-use packaging for certain product groups, such as those sold at deli counters – at no extra cost.

We are now focusing our attention on packaging solutions that we never even thought about before. Working together with our customers and partners, we want to bring new innovations to market and expand our reuse portfolio.

Because this trend looks set to continue, various start-ups have developed concepts for to-go items, where customers are charged on a pay-per-fill basis, while the company takes care of cleaning and replacing the packaging. And by using smart labels – microchips that can store much more data than a conventional barcode – reuse concepts can be integrated into logistics processes with optimum results. At Greiner Packaging, we too are working on a wide variety of reuse concepts for sectors such as food service.

Ample opportunity for innovation

However, there are still challenges when it comes to reusing packaging:

Questions around refill concepts’ hygiene and collection in the retail sector
Logistics of reusable product systems
Learned convenience on the part of consumers
Robustness of the material – environmental impact only becomes positive after a certain number of use cycles

These obstacles offer ample opportunity for innovation. As we see ourselves playing an active role in the circular revolution, we are turning our attention to new packaging design ideas that make reuse concepts realistic and consumer friendly.

Mix & match meal box