With its planned packaging regulation, the EU wants to establish mandatory rules to reduce the amount of packaging material. Suggested quotas for reusable containers are of critical importance for this goal. However, reusable container collection systems are not yet widely established in Europe. In Germany, they have been working for years for beer, water and soft drinks, but the situation is completely different for preserves, jams, fruit gums and sauces. For foods like these, Pacoon has now developed an innovative reusable container collection system.

Collection systems for reusable containers can help to reduce packaging waste and carbon emissions. But for this to work, reusable containers need new concepts, and their transport, return and cleaning must be factored into the calculation, says Pacoon. The agency for packaging design and sustainability has already devoted several years to the question of what a collection system for reusable containers should look like in future to turn the disadvantages of reusable containers today into advantages.

Pacoon calls their concept for collecting reusable containers Cyrcol. Its aim is to address existing disadvantages in today’s collection systems and create one that is significantly easier to use for all participants. “We planned the concept for the collection of reusable containers as an open system for everyone from direct filling companies to zero waste shops”, says managing director Peter Désilets. The idea is a reusable container system with standardised containers, trays and transport boxes, space-saving transportation for empty containers and easy returns through the existing infrastructure, “We don’t want any new collection systems, returns have to be possible through the existing systems. For consumers, returns are a difficult issue as is.”

Pacoon’s concept aims to tackle different aspects of the system and achieve harmonisation within individual steps. One significant feature is the ability of transport containers to be nested and stacked. “We use turn-stackable bins comparable to those at the post office. Turning switches the bins between two positions: Either stack the boxes on top of each other when full, or stack the empty containers nested inside each other without a lid”, says Peter Désilets. This is done to save as much transport volume as possible – up to 50 percent compared to current systems, according to calculations by Pacoon.

The transport box developed by the agency is a kind of box frame without the traditional bottom. It is stabilised by an inside tray in which the glass containers stand. The shape of the glass jars – no shoulder, and with a slightly tapered base – allow for optimum use of the space within a box. The containers are held in place during transport by a specialised tray with holes and do not touch each other inside the box. The open shape of the container also allows for easy filling and cleaning which reduces cleaning costs. Standardised, modular trays with openings of different diameters are compatible with many standard container volumes, which can be varied by adjusting the height and breadth.

Standardised containers which can be filled with different products are part of the concept for the reusable container system. Image: Pacoon

One solution for many variants

The new shape of the containers plus the carrier concept – the box frame and an intermediate tray – equals the overall concept. “Our overall system is modular and therefore very flexible”, says Peter Désilets. Individual elements are variable and allow for a flexible combination of product container, tray and box frame. This way, the individual elements with only a few variants can be used for a variety of different packaging and transport units.

The concept stipulates that the containers are rented by filling companies for each use. “This also gives small companies the option to use reusable containers for small quantities.” They don’t have to worry about getting their glass jars back later, either, because after the jars are returned at a machine, they are cleaned by third-party service providers and then returned to the pool of reusable containers.”

One area to be covered by the reusable container system is preserves. Image: Pacoon

Market testing with partners

As a next step, the concept is to be adapted to specially defined products together with partners, and there is to be a market test in German retail. To this end, Pacoon has developed a concept for logistics and cleaning which will initially test different brands in retail with the reusable containers on a small scale. Acceptance, returns, industrial cleaning, sorting and provision for filling companies will be closely scrutinised. Different products can be tested at the same time, for example jams and marmalades, sauces, mashes, spreads, preserved or even dry products.

Further ideas for developing the concept for reusable containers are reusable lids, direct printing for branding using washable ink for boxes and containers, as well as integrating digital codes to control individual containers and for billing and tracing. “The next step will be digitalisation, because in future it will be more and more important to know exactly where which container currently is.” According to Désilets, clear communication is just as important. “Consumers must see at once that this packaging is part of a collection system for reusable containers. Returning is an important issue in this regard, because without returns, the entire collection system for reusable containers collapses.”