Appendix B. Case studies selection
Transport packaging
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive proposal is setting targets for some relevant reusable packaging system for 2030 and 2040. For the commercial and industrial sector, two of the most ambitious targets are for good sold using pallets, crates, foldable boxes pails and drums with a 30% target by 2030, and 90% by 2040. Additionally, a target of 10% of non-food goods sold via e-commerce packaging was set for 2030, and of 50% by 2040.
This was used to prioritise the possible packaging systems to include in these assessments. Some of relevant systems found can be found in Table 27.
Table 27 Reusable packaging systems within transport packaging.
Product | Country | Concept |
 | Denmark | Re-zip Packaging for e-commerce When buying online, customers choose circular packaging. After delivery customer returns the packaging to the nearest drop point, which will be delivered to a cleaning hub and be prepared for next shipment. |
 | Finland | Repack Packaging for e-commerce Business leases the RePack bags, and customers get the chance to choose circular packaging on their checkout. One it is delivered; customers return the empty pack to the Repack hub. They also take care of reverse logistics and cleaning |
 | Denmark | Dansk Emballage Packaging like pallets, tanks, drums, canisters Customer orders pick-up stating previous content. Dansk Emballage picks it up and takes care of the cleaning |
 | Sweden | System for the food industry’s supply chain like food producers, wholesalers, stores and restaurants based on shared pallets and crates. Svenska Retursystem delivers empty crates and pallets to producers which fill them and deliver to wholesalers. Wholesalers deliver to stores and/or restaurants. Between each turn, the boxes return to the facilities to their logistics facilities to be washed, checked and repaired. When crates are no longer usable, the plastic gets grinded into granulates that then become new crates. |
 | Norway | Reusable mailer bag that is made from 100% recycled polyester packaging, durable enough to last 50-100 reuses. It is padded and weatherproof and comes with optional sealing, keeping products safer. It shapes around the content inside saving shape and costs. A reusable pallet wrapper, can be reused 500+ times, |
 | Norway | Looping Reusable Module cover for contractors modules Their first product Modulcover has 80% of the market for contractor modules in Norway. They offer covers for wood and steel modules to protect them during storage and transportation, avoiding the use of single use plastic. They claim to save around 10 tonnes of plastic every year |
 | Denmark | Clip Lock Reusable transport box Reusable transport box, which consists of plywood panels held together with detachable spring steel clips. After delivery, the transport box can be flat-packed which can reduce up to 80% space and returning costs. |
Five different types of products were found: packaging solutions for e-commerce, pallets, transport packaging, transport box, and cover for contractor modules. Based on the literature review done, 8 LCAs were found for reusable crates, with 2 of them being from Nordic solutions. There were also two LCAs on e-commerce packaging, but only one being from the Nordic countries. No previous LCAs were found for the reusable transport packaging for contractors and for the reusable transport box.
E-commerce
In Europe e-commerce grew with a grow rate of 13% in 2021. However, in 2022 the growth has stabilised (Ecommerce Europe, 2022). In the Nordics, e-commerce increased 2% in 2019, with an average of 62% of Nordic residents shopping online per month (Postnord, 2019). A report by Nordea on e-commerce and the shopping behaviour after the Covid-19 pandemic shows card transaction data from 10 million customers, showing an increase in online transactions from 5% in 2011 to 20% in 2021, which has decrease to around a 14% in 2022, yielding a lower-than expected boost. Nonetheless, they also estimate a potential rise to up to 30% by 2027. IKEA reported 26% of their sales took place online in 2021, increasing by 73%.
Additionally, statistics were searched on e-commerce against retailer sales packaging, but not much research has been conducted in this field.
Takeaway and beverages sector
In the same way for transport packaging, the packaging and packaging waste directive has set targets for the food and beverage industry for hotels, restaurants, and catering services. A target of 20% was placed for beverages containers (cold and hot) at the point of sale for takeaway for reuse and refill systems by 2030, and 80% by 2040, as well as 10% of packaging food for takeaway must be sold in reusable packaging by 2030 and 40% by 2040. Therefore, these were considered of significant relevance.
The following systems were found within this sector.
Product | Country | Concept |
  | Denmark | Cups in steel and bowls in plastic (PP or TPE). Download an app, scan NFC card at the counter and register your borrow, then you have 10 days to return the packaging in any café within the network |
  | Finland | Order from any coffee shops in their network and pay a deposit, once you are done return it to any shop of your choice, and get your deposit back, get a new one of receive digital credit. |
 | UK | CupClub Returnable cup from recycled PE You go to your favourite coffee shop – at the moment that will be in offices and university campuses. You order your coffee with the Cupclub product. The barista will remind you to put the cup in one of the collection points when you’re done, and that’s it. Our orders are directly with the retailer; consumers don’t pay any extra |
 | Denmark | New Loop Returnable plastic cup Pay a deposit and deliver the cup back to one of the shops |
  | Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, among others | ReCIRCLE Container, cups Pay a deposit for a container or cup and return it to someone in their network to get a refund or a new, clean product. |
The main reusable packaging products found in the Nordic within the takeaway and beverage sector consist of cups and containers. Different reusables takeaway services exist; on-the-go, where customers reach the restaurant and take out their food on reusable food packaging or home delivery, where customers order their food online and it is delivered by a courier on reusable packaging. The most common scheme for reusable takeaway in the Nordics was found to be on-the-go. However, no LCAs were found for any of these solutions. From outside the Nordics, there were more studies found on reusable cups than on takeaway containers. Which is why we would suggest focussing on the reusable food takeaway containers.
Other solutions outside of the Nordics
Additionally, a list of reusable packaging solutions from other countries was included to showcase solutions still not available in Nordic countries
Product | Country | Concept |
 | France | Living Packets “THE BOX” is a reusable, robust and foldable packaging that eliminates all packaging waste, with integrated sensors that allow you to know at any time where and in what state your package is. Use THE BOX for shipments and returns. Send products in it, load a label, and give it to your carrier. The recipient is informed of the shipment of the package by email and can unlock it upon receipt. |
 | Italy | Zero Impack Order lunch from the selection of restaurants every day and receive your meal in a reusable containers. Your meal will be delivered directly at your office. The container can be returned in the Zero Impack drop-off bins located at your company. |
 | Chile, USA, UK | Algramo Algramo offers to customers in Chile affordable quantities of everyday products without single-use, non-recyclable packaging. Targeting economies where recycling infrastructure is limited and small packaging items such as sachets often end up in the environment, Algamo introduces a reusable packaging system with dispensers and affordable containers. |
 | USA | OZZI The OZZI Solution is a closed-loop system that starts with a participant receiving a container by a one-time purchase to get into the program or being granted their first container by dining services. The participant will then fill their container with food and eat in or take their meal to go. Once they are done with the meal, the used O2GO container is returned to an OZZI machine. At this point, the container is dropped into a collection cart, which creates an easy system for dining services to clean them. |
 | Belgium | Fillbee This returnable six-pack fits in existing crates or can be used stacked on a pallet. With this shelf-ready packaging, reusable bottles can last up to 50 return trips, eliminating packaging waste completely. |
 | USA, UK, France, Canada | Loop Loop is a platform where you can use your products and return empty containers by scheduling a free pickup online or returning them to retail partners. Loop cleans the empty packaging to reuse it. It can be distributed both online, and in-store |
 | Czech Republic | MIWA MIWA introduces a digital solution that connects all stakeholders along the value chain – from the farm that produces the food to the customer that buys it. It allows anyone with a mobile phone to order any desired amount of a product to be delivered in reusable packaging to either their nearest store or directly to their home. |