From mushroom grower to kitchen table and back again: reuse in practice
Real-life test in Mechelen brings together retailers, food companies, farmers, consumers, logistics and digital traceability.
Six retailers jointly test reusable mushroom trays in a unique pilot within the REPASYS project
During the week of 20 April, a six-month pilot project was launched in Mechelen in which six major supermarket chains are offering a standardised reusable mushroom tray. White mushrooms are sold exclusively in this standard tray in all participating stores. The trial is part of the REPASYS project, which explores how reusable food packaging can be introduced on a large scale.
Partners from across the entire value chain are taking part in the test, from producer to logistics and retail: Albert Heijn, ALDI, Carrefour, Colruyt, Delhaize, Lidl, MIVAS, deSter, Kingslize Pizza, Rotion, Fost Plus, Made, GS1 Belgilux and Comeos. This broad collaboration makes the pilot exceptionally valuable.
Why this pilot in Mechelen?
The REPASYS project aims to map the system innovation required for reusable food packaging: consumer behaviour, logistics processes, digital traceability, circular business models and feasibility for all stakeholders. The mushroom trays in Mechelen serve as a test case to evaluate this complex value chain under real-life conditions.
The transition to reusable food packaging reduces waste and strengthens the circular economy. “Food packaging has several essential functions, first and foremost protecting the quality and safety of the product from producer to consumer. All these functions must therefore also be fulfilled by a reusable alternative to single-use packaging,” says An Vermeulen of Pack4Food. “With a circular approach, we can use resources more intelligently and reduce waste and emissions. In this project, we are testing how this can go hand in hand with efficient and customer-focused logistics, because only through collaboration between businesses and by bringing consumers on board can we create real impact,” says Geert Verbelen of VIL.
According to Comeos, collaboration is crucial. “Reuse only works at scale, and scale can only be achieved if all supermarkets make the same effort. That is what makes this project unique: for the first time, all major Belgian supermarkets are taking a sustainable step towards reusable packaging together, not alongside one another, but with one another,” says Henriane Gilliot of Comeos, the federation of Belgian retailers.
“This is an important step for reusable packaging,” agrees Valerie Bruyninckx, spokesperson for Fost Plus. “Europe wants to significantly reduce single-use packaging for fruit and vegetables by 2030. Reuse is therefore becoming more important than ever, and our country wants to be a pioneer in this area.”
How does the test work in practice?
Consumers can buy mushrooms in the standardised reusable tray in all participating supermarkets. Afterwards, they can return the tray to any participating store in Mechelen. The trays are collected, cleaned and put back into circulation.
Through QR codes by GS1, the packaging is digitally tracked:
- insight into the number of cycles per package
- correct refund of the deposit
- data for evaluating the pilot system
“Digital traceability gives reusable packaging a reliable and transparent lifecycle, along with numerous valuable insights. By doing this based on open standards, we create a connected ecosystem that speaks the same language and can work together towards an efficient and scalable implementation. In this way, we open the door to a circular future,” says Karen Arkesteyn of GS1 Belgilux.
REPASYS is a collaborative project of the spearhead clusters Flanders’ FOOD and VIL, supported by VLAIO and carried out in cooperation with their strategic partner Pack4Food and academic partner the University of Antwerp (REuseLab).
“Flanders’ FOOD welcomes VLAIO’s support for this project. It shows what the innovation of the future looks like: not only technological progress, but also innovation in systems, business models and behaviour. With REPASYS, we can for the first time drive true system innovation on this scale, from producer to consumer and back again.” - Inge Arents (Flanders’ FOOD)
