Reusable packaging in Europe : between facts and fiction – an informed opinion for Metal Packaging Europe

Politicians and non-governmental organisations (NGO) are lobbying for the implementation of reusable packages for fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) to limit the impact of packaging waste on our environment. This opinion paper summarises the knowledge on reusable packaging in the public literature and the experience of incumbents with reusable packaging systems. The intention of this opinion paper is to offer insights under which conditions it can and cannot be implemented successfully with respect to the reduction of environmental impacts. The overview of the scientific literature revealed that indeed reusable packaging systems are presented in many articles as possible solutions to limit the environmental impact of FMCG’s. Most of these articles do, however, not describe actually reusable packaging systems that operate in reality, but rather describe what if scenario’s with guesstimated parameters. These studies therefore, show that under ideal conditions reusable packaging systems are beneficial for the environment. Interviews with incumbents that operate a reusable packaging system, revealed an ambiguous relationship of FMCG producers to reusable packaging systems; existing systems based on glass packaging are cherished and maintained, but there is also hardly any incumbent that wants to extend or erect new reusable systems. This largely relates to the fact that existing reusable packaging systems are used where it makes sense. Furthermore, the operational costs of existing well-performing reuse systems are lower than of single use systems, but the initial investment costs to establish a reuse system are large, effectively limiting further market expansion. Additionally, the interviews with the incumbents resulted in a long list of conditions that have to be met to make a reuse system successful and help not only to limit littering but also limit greenhouse gas emissions. This knowledge is, however, not available in the public literature. Therefore, the stakeholders have diverging opinions on reusable packaging. Some politicians and NGO’s regard it as an effective and tangible method to act on the environmental impacts, whereas FMCG producers and retailers see multiple challenges that need to be dealt with and worry that the contrived societal benefits will not be achieved and substantial investments need to be done at no avail