German discounter Penny is trialling two different variants of reusable 'nets' for fruit and vegetable products, in order to reduce the amount of packaging used.
The test will last for 20 weeks and in the end the variant that is preferred most customers will be introduced to its assortment.
Extra Payback loyalty points and reductions on future purchases of loose fruit and vegetables are set to be implemented, to encourage shoppers to purchase the nets.
In the north and east of the country, Penny will offer reusable polyester nets for €0.49 for a two-pack, while in the west, southwest and south, customers can buy reusable organic cotton bags for €0.99.
Sustainability Strategy
The innovation is part of Penny's sustainability strategy 'Avoid.Decrease.Improve', which aims to reduce plastic significantly.
"In terms of sustainability, we now offer our customers an alternative to the classic knot bag when packaging fruit and vegetables, which is high-quality and can easily be used multiple times", explained Stefan Magel, the COO of Penny.
Knot Bags
According to the Packaging Market Research Association, more than three billion disposable knot bags are used every year.
To reduce this number, Penny has already reduced the use of knot bags in the fruit and vegetable sector by 20% and introduced packaging trays made of grass fiber and recycled material.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Jana Zimmermann. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
