REPAID - Reusable Solutions for Gastronomy

Promotion of reusable solutions to reduce single-use plastic service packaging through automation of take-back, interventions at the point of sale and possibilities of digitalisation to support user behaviour

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The volume of packaging in Germany has been rising steadily for years. With an average of 227.5 kg of packaging waste per capita, Germany consumes more packaging than any other country in Europe (UBA 2020). A central driver is the trend towards out-of-home consumption and to-go offers in the gastronomy sector. A NABU study (Istel/Detloff 2018) puts the total tonnage for service packaging in out-of-home consumption at more than 280,000 tonnes. The largest share is accounted for by plates, boxes, trays, etc. with more than 155,000 tonnes (including almost 50,000 tonnes of pizza boxes); another relevant part is cups for hot and cold drinks with another 60,000 to 80,000 tonnes.

Against this background, the Packaging Act was recently amended: According to this, restaurants, caterers and delivery services have been obliged since 1 January 2023 to always offer a reusable option (e.g. for bowls and cups) in order to significantly reduce waste from (plastic) single-use packaging systems in out-of-home consumption.  However, based on previous experience with reusable systems, considerable problems are becoming apparent, especially in the area of use and return quotas as well as trip rates, due to which many systems fail to achieve their economic and ecological goals (e.g. FreiburgCup). Although the return by customers is crucial for the functioning of reusable systems, the interplay between gastronomy - logistics - consumers has hardly been researched so far.

This research gap is being closed within the framework of REPAID: In a transdisciplinary approach, innovative strategies and incentives are investigated and evaluated that motivate consumers to opt for reusable instead of disposable service packaging in out-of-home consumption and to return it to the catering sector. The aim is to develop a cross-system strategy for the design of reusable solutions in order to reduce packaging waste in out-of-home consumption. The project partners are investigating the following social and technical aspects:

• How can consumer decisions in favour of reusable systems at distribution points be influenced by nudging strategies?
• How can the return of reusable systems be simplified through automation?
• What digital possibilities and what social/economic incentives are needed to encourage customers to return the reusable packaging they use?

 The project is divided into 4 work packages:

• Data research and interviews to compile the state of research and to determine baseline values for the economic and ecological performance of various reusable systems.
• Selection, formulation, testing and evaluation of interventions for increased issuance and return rates of reusable systems. Based on an investigation of current consumer practices, current influencing factors that determine the choice and return of reusable systems will be identified.
• Analysis and evaluation of the interventions with regard to behavioural change of the clientele as well as ecological and economic evaluation.
• Validation of results, transfer and recommendations for action, as well as identification of transfer possibilities to the supply sector and development of a cross-system strategy.

Finally, the results will be disseminated in the economic, political and scientific fields in order to promote the ecological design of reusable systems in out-of-home consumption.