- IFCO partners with Rimi to provide reusable packaging solutions, enabling Rimi to pioneer sustainable practices across the Baltic fresh fruit and vegetable grocery sector.
- Strategic collaboration highlights Rimi’s commitment to sustainability, with an estimated CO2 savings of 3,500 tons annually.
MUNICH, Germany, May 14, 2024 – IFCO, a global leader in reusable packaging solutions for fresh food, has announced a strategic collaboration with Rimi, one of the top retailers in the Baltics, to drive sustainable change in the region’s fresh grocery sector. Rimi will implement IFCO’s reusable packaging, strengthening Rimi’s commitment to environmental responsibility and enhancing operational efficiency by streamlining logistics and reducing operational costs.
“We are proud to partner with Rimi and set a new standard for sustainability in the Baltics’ fresh grocery sector. With this collaboration, we have the opportunity to inspire positive change and pave the way for a greener supply chain in the region,” said Daniel Schellenberg, IFCO Vice President CEE & ACH.
IFCO and Rimi partnership: generating a tangible environmental and business impact
With the transition to IFCO reusable plastic containers (RPCs), Rimi says it eliminates the use of one-way cardboard boxes that previously serviced 95% of its fresh fruit and vegetable flows. The remaining 5% replaces rigid crates, further unifying the process, simplifying administration, and delivering additional environmental and operational efficiencies in reverse logistics due to the collapsible nature of the IFCO crates.
“By partnering with IFCO we are on a path to achieve an estimated CO2 saving of 3,500 tons per year, demonstrating the tangible environmental benefits of the collaboration,” explained Zanda Sadre, Rimi Baltic Corporate Responsibility and Communications Director. “Additionally, the switch to sustainable packaging ensures that we are future-proofing our business, by already aligning with the upcoming EU PPWR regulation.”
Why RPCs?
Generally speaking, RPC systems can significantly reduce the environmental footprint for shipping fresh produce by minimizing waste and improving efficiency. Unlike single-use packaging, RPCs are designed for repeated use, reducing the need for disposable materials that contribute to environmental degradation. Their durability ensures a longer lifespan, and they can be easily cleaned and sanitized between uses. Even after the sustainability impact of reverse logistics is considered, the use of RPCs results in overall sustainability improvement.
RPCs also optimize space during transport, allowing for more efficient stacking and reducing the number of trips needed for delivery, which in turn lowers fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, their standardized sizes and robustness help protect produce from damage, reducing spoilage and waste. By integrating RPCs into their supply chains, retailers can significantly reduce packaging waste and its associated environmental impacts, contributing to a more sustainable logistics operation.
Enhancing logistics efficiency with IFCO RPC adoption
IFCO notes that adopting RPCs streamlines processes and standardizes crate types across the supply chain. This simplifies logistics, improves efficiency, and reduces waste by eliminating the need to manage individual crate fleets with local growers. The transition to IFCO crates promises increased overall effectiveness, ensuring a more streamlined and sustainable distribution of produce from farm to store shelves.
Rimi’s holistic approach: IFCO crates in import and export flows
Also noteworthy, Rimi is the first retailer in the Baltics to adopt RPCs for both import and export flows. This strategic decision emphasizes Rimi’s pioneering role in driving sustainability initiatives within the region’s fresh grocery sector. Transitioning to RPCs on the international scope enhances operational efficiency and procedural transparency, greatly simplifying logistic processes.
About Rimi Baltic
Rimi Baltic is one of the leading food retailers in the Baltic States. It operates four customer-favorite chains – Rimi Hyper, Rimi Super, Rimi Mini and Rimi Express. Since 2020, Rimi has also had an e-store in all three Baltic Countries. The company employs over 12,000 people across the Baltics. Rimi Baltics’ mother company is the Swedish company “ICA Gruppen.” More information: www.rimibaltic.com.
About IFCO
IFCO is a leading global provider of reusable packaging solutions for fresh foods in over 50 countries. With a pool of over 380 million Reusable Packaging Containers (RPCs) globally, IFCO facilitates billions of shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, bread, and other items from suppliers to grocery retailers every year. IFCO RPCs support a better fresh food supply chain by protecting freshness and quality while reducing costs, food waste, and environmental impact compared to single-use packaging. Learn more at www.ifco.com
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.
