Planet Reuse, the European platform for reusable packaging

Reusable packaging has been around for decades for beverages and transport packaging. In recent years, a variety of packaging reuse solutions have also been developed in other markets, such as shipping packaging for the e-commerce sector, refill systems for personal care products, not to mention packaging for takeaway and on-the-go meals and beverages. "However, large-scale and widespread application of this is still lacking," says packaging expert Marcel Keuenhof of the KIDV.

Keuenhof leads the so-called Community of Practice Reusable Packaging (CoP) that the KIDV set up three years ago. "We wanted to bring together parties who want to make packaging more sustainable by studying and implementing reusable options," Keuenhof says. "Often they run into the dilemma that individually they have too little impact to realise changes in the chain. In the CoP we can tackle packaging challenges together. For example, meetings have been organised on logistics and administration, legislation, safety and liability, and consumer behaviour. Participants have also carried out various studies and we have developed a tool to calculate the tipping point for reusable packaging compared to single use packaging.

Supermarkets, brand owners, service providers, start-ups, knowledge institutions and NGOs participate in this KIDV community. Interest in the activities has also come from neighbouring countries, such as Stiftung Initiative Mehrweg from Germany, Circular Futures, InnOff Plastic from France and Zero Waste Europe. Keuenhof: "Last summer, we discussed how the transition from single use packaging to reusable packaging could be accelerated. For example, by increasing the visibility of reuse solutions and improving access to knowledge and tools. But the added value, we concluded, lies in bringing professionals together at the European level and enabling them to work together. That led to the creation of Planet Reuse." 

The idea was translated into the construction of a platform where participants can meet digitally for the exchange of knowledge and data. "The technical part is finished and functioning. Now it's time to develop the community further. We are making use of the momentum: new legislation and regulations such as the Single Use Plastics Directive, developments in the field of deposit systems, the call for circularity and consumers who no longer want plastic soup and litter. This all calls for action. With Planet Reuse we can accelerate the implementation of reusable packaging on a European level", Keuenhof is convinced.

The official going live took place during a meeting of Stiftung Initiative Mehrweg in Berlin, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of this organisation. Keuenhof called Planet Reuse a great tool to get inspired, to increase the visibility of reusable systems and to get new users interested. "And of course to keep up to date with the latest developments and trends." 

Click here to sign up for Planet Reuse and watch the video below for a closer look.