Public authorities must take bold action to curb single-use to maximize the benefits of reuse systems – Zero Waste Europe.
Key takeaways
- Environmental Impact: Reuse systems for takeaway packaging could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with potential reductions of up to 54% in Aarhus and 34% in Berlin.
- Economic Benefits and Challenges: Small vendors may benefit from cost savings with reusable systems, while larger businesses could face higher costs due to economies of scale favoring single-use packaging. Hidden costs, such as litter clean-up and carbon impacts, make single-use packaging more expensive overall.
- Policy Intervention Needed: The report emphasizes the need for strong policy measures—such as levies, taxes, and bans on single-use packaging—to create fair competition and encourage widespread adoption of reuse systems in the market.
Brussels, September 2024 – A new report by Zero Waste Europe suggests that reuse systems for takeaway packaging could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut costs for small businesses. The report, produced by Eunomia Research & Consulting, comes as the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) aims to curb waste and promote sustainable practices across Europe.
Titled Facilitating the Adoption of Takeaway Reuse Systems, the report provides a roadmap for public authorities to maximize the environmental and economic benefits of reuse systems. It outlines the potential of reuse systems to reduce emissions by as much as 54% in Aarhus, Denmark, and 34% in Berlin, Germany.
The report examines the costs associated with six different formats of single-use and reusable takeaway packaging in two city case studies, offering insights into the economic implications of switching to reuse systems. While smaller vendors in cities like Aarhus and Berlin could experience cost savings, larger businesses may face higher expenses due to the economies of scale that currently favor single-use packaging.
Although single-use packaging often appears cheaper, the report reveals that hidden costs—such as those related to litter clean-up, carbon emissions, and litter disamenity—make it more expensive in the long term. To address this discrepancy, the report urges public authorities to implement fiscal measures like levies or taxes to make the playing field more level between single-use and reusable packaging.
“Nobody can question the fact that reuse systems for takeaway packaging are needed to address our waste crisis,” said Larissa Copello, Packaging & Reuse Policy Officer at Zero Waste Europe. “But without serious scale and a rock-solid framework, it’s just not going to cut it. Single-use packaging still dominates the market, with reuse playing catch-up. It’s time to level the playing field through policy intervention to unlock reuse’s full potential.”
The report goes on to recommend a series of policy measures to encourage the adoption of reuse systems. These include setting minimum requirements for reuse, making reuse the default option in shops, and even more aggressive strategies such as outright bans on single-use packaging.
Externalities of disposable packaging systems are “unaccounted for”
“Increased interest in the development of reuse systems for takeaway packaging within EU cities, regions, and Member States is a really positive step forward,” said Andy Grant, Technical Director at Eunomia Research & Consulting. “However, single-use takeaway packaging remains the prime choice for vendors due to its low cost and convenience, with externalities unaccounted for in supply chain costs. Our analysis shows that public authorities need to implement specific policy measures to level the playing field and set the right conditions for reuse systems to thrive.”
Fernando Rodríguez-Mata, Director General of the New European Reuse Alliance, echoed these sentiments. “As pioneers of a future where reusable packaging becomes mainstream, we need to create a level playing field with single-use alternatives. This starts by acknowledging the hidden and externalized costs of single-use packaging. We must apply the polluter-pays principle, making producers responsible for the total costs of the end-of-life of the packaging they place on the market.”
The report also highlights findings from a pilot project in Aarhus, where the introduction of reusable takeaway cups has led to a noticeable reduction in litter. “Since the Aarhus pilot began in January 2024, the municipality has seen less litter from disposable cups on city streets,” said Geir Sæther, Senior Vice President of Circular Economy and head of TOMRA Reuse. “The largest vendor participating replaced all disposable beer and soda cups with reusables, reducing on-site litter and waste management costs. However, achieving the necessary adoption levels for full environmental benefits remains challenging.”
Regulatory measures are needed for reuse systems
Sæther believes that regulatory measures are key to making reusable takeaway packaging the norm. “The report’s findings from the Aarhus pilot should be valuable for other cities and countries considering similar systems,” he added.
The report concludes that while the transition to reuse systems may come with challenges, such as higher upfront costs for some businesses, the long-term environmental and economic benefits make it a necessary step forward. It calls for strong policy interventions to encourage widespread adoption and make reusable packaging the standard in the takeaway sector.
As Louise Lerche-Gredal, Managing Director at Plastic Change, emphasized, “The massive consumption of plastic has led to plastic pollution affecting our environment, biodiversity, climate, and health. The only way to mitigate the consequences of plastic is to reduce the demand for it. When we move from single-use to reuse of our products, we reduce the need to extract new resources from the planet.”
The report’s findings are expected to inform ongoing policy discussions across the EU as regulators continue to seek ways to reduce packaging waste and promote sustainability.
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Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
