Understand packaging refill and reuse policy

Sustainable packaging consultancy Root explores the policy drivers encouraging a shift towards reusable and refillable packaging - and the shortcomings that need to be addressed.

16 February 2023

The proposal outlined minimum food packaging reuse and refill targets to achieve by 2030:

• 10% for non-alcoholic beverages, increasing to 25% by 2040
• 20% for hot and cold take-away beverage containers, increasing to 80% by 2040
• 10% for consumer-facing businesses such as restaurants and cafes, increasing to 25% by 2040
• 5% for wine bottles, excepting sparkling wine, increasing to 15% by 2040

Further legislation is expected from the European Commission to help avoid excess greenhouse gas emissions caused by transporting reusable packaging over long distances to be refilled, with widespread decarbonisation of transport networks not expected before 2035.

Countries already taking the initiative

Luxembourg and Ireland plan to replace single-use items with reusable alternatives and in the Netherlands, reuse and recycling targets are tied together, with a % to be reused or recycled by 2025.

In the USA meanwhile, some states, such as California, are beginning to pass legislation that sets the scene for reuse and refill.

Municipal collection pilots in cities such as Jakarta are driving greater awareness and bringing more visibility to reuse and refill strategies. Indonesia is beginning to include reuse provisions in policy, however, this is mainly the reuse of industrial and manufacturing waste.

Future policy clarifications required

When it comes to designing for reuse, the absence of coherent policy means brands lack an even playing field. We recently applied our Impact Analysis Metrics methodology to compare single-use vs refill for a multinational healthcare brand. The process highlighted policy areas that urgently need clarification to protect consumers concerning health and safety, as well as guard against misleading greenwash claims.

Clearly, better policies are needed to specify:

1. When and how reusable packaging should be cleaned
2. To define a ‘life’ for key packs and uses. Currently a business can make a ‘refillable’ claim if the pack can only withstand being refilled twice. In contrast, many businesses already offer packaging components that have a much longer life than ‘single use’
3. To specify the minimum number of times a component can be reused in order to make a ‘refillable’ claim. Many businesses and industry bodies are coming up with numbers that don’t translate effectively across a packaging portfolio

Root is a sustainable packaging consultancy supporting global brands and packaging producers. Root helps clients to use less and reduce the impact of their packaging on people and the planet by shifting their focus to a more regenerative approach.

To learn more or schedule a call with a Root sustainability expert, please visit www.root-innovation.com.