Finnish retailer K Group has announced its involvement in a major research project with the aim of making Finland a pioneer in the reuse of packaging.
VTT and the University of Vaasa, in collaboration with 21 other organisations, will take part in the project.
If the project is successful, the organisations taking part have the opportunity to benefit from a portion of the sizeable export market, which is estimated to grow to €1.45 billion by 2035.
'Consumer Attitudes'
“The research project explores various dimensions of reuse, such as the ecosystems and business models formed by different operators, the design of recycling systems, reusable packaging solutions, and scenarios and trade-offs related to sustainability," said Kyösti Pennanen, senior researcher from the University of Vaasa.
"We will also analyse consumer attitudes towards reusable packaging and how to make it more attractive.”
In addition to K Group, the consortium of businesses involved in the project includes S Group, plastics companies Borealis and Orthex, waste management and treatment specialists such as Lassila & Tikanoja, and food- and multi-service company Compass Group Finland.
The total amount of packaging waste generated in the EU increased by 20% between 2009 and 2020, according to Eurostat.
The amount of waste is now 80 million tonnes, or about 178 kilos per EU citizen.
Unless 'radical changes' are made, Eurostat claims the amount of packaging waste will increase by a further 19% by 2030.
'Important Step'
“The transition from single-use to reusable packaging is an important step towards a circular economy," said Ali Harlin, research professor at VTT. "It requires extensive analysis of business processes from different perspectives.
"We also need a robust network of partners that engages the entire value chain, from packaging producers to logistics, retail, packaging maintenance and waste management."
