Closed loop in reuse packaging-as-service
Country of application:
Denmark
Scope of innovation
☐ Office work
☒ Production / Service supply process
Sector-specific
☒ Yes / please, specify sector(s): Food and beverage
☐ No (relevant for all sectors)
Description of the needs
Today’s requirements for sustainability in packaging are increasing at every step of the value chain and consumers are increasingly looking for new ways to reduce packaging usage and waste.
Description of the solution
One way to do so is to offer circular models of reuse for food packaging. Plus Pack, one of Europe’s leading players in designing and producing circular packaging solutions to the food industry, and start-up Cirqle, which delivers reuse packaging-as-a-service, have introduced a new partnership to develop a reuse model for the primary packaging of foods. The solution also has the potential for convenience foods and take-away. The key elements in the partnership are close collaboration, standards, and scale. Cirqle develops a unique system and digital solutions to handle packaging in a closed-loop, and four areas are in focus to offer reuse packaging-as-a-service; the design and production of food packaging which can be reused; a technology that enables the ability to track the packaging throughout its use; a system to transport the packaging between the different actors in the loop and not least ensuring food safety, quality and hygiene throughout all steps.
Description of the effect
The reuse packaging-as-service offers a new circular consumption model, which reduces packaging and waste, thus encompassing the potential to reduce Co2 emissions by up to 60% when compared to single-use packaging.
Company/companies that developed/implemented/offer the innovation
Plus Pack lead the food packaging industry forward by driving the transition from linear to circular packaging. Since 1914 their dedication has been fueled by their founding motto: ‘The drive to make a difference’. Four generations later, their drive is both stronger and more important than ever before. They know that food packaging plays a defining role in building a more sustainable tomorrow. By continuously developing and providing truly circular food packaging, they enable their customers to protect and make food stand out, using ever less of the planet’s resources.
Cirqle was founded in 2020, with the mission to end packaging waste, and they believe that reusing packaging is the way to achieve this goal. Their approach is driven by technology – by making packaging intelligent they can track its location and gather insights about the reuse process. They are mainly focused on the food and beverage industry but any reuse case is possible on the platform. At Cirqle technology is their core business. They can handle many different types of reusable packaging and value chains on their platform. Using Cirqle tags any packaging can become intelligent.