Tom Szaky, CEO & Founder, TerraCycle & Loop

O Burger King iniciará uma fase de testes com a utilização de caixas e copos reutilizáveis nos Estados Unidos e no Japão. O plano é mais um dos esforços da rede para reduzir a quantidade de lixo produzido pelos seus restaurantes.

An update on Packaging World’s coverage of Burger King and Tim Hortons’ upcoming pilot of reusable packaging under the Loop platform includes new information from Matthew Banton, Head of Innovation and Sustainability, Burger King Global. Quick-service restaurants Burger King and Tim Hortons, both part of Restaurant Brands International (RBI), will soon be piloting a program in partnership with TerraCycle’s Loop circular packaging platform that will allow guests to specify reusable containers and cups when they order select food and beverage products. The closed-loop system will require guests to pay a deposit that will be refunded upon return of the packaging, which will then be cleaned by Loop for reuse, again and again. The initiative falls under RBI’s sustainability platform, Restaurant Brands for Good. “As part of our Restaurant Brands for Good plan, we’re investing in the development of sustainable packaging solutions that will help push the foodservice industry forward in reducing packaging waste,” says Matthew Banton, Head of Innovation and Sustainability, Burger King Global. “The Loop system gives us the confidence in a reusable solution that meets our high safety standards, while also offering convenience for our guests on the go.” Guests, Banton emphasizes, are at the center of all the decisions RBI makes. Therefore, when the company saw its guests expressing greater and greater interest in minimizing their impact on the planet, it pursued the idea of reusable packaging as one strategy. “Understanding that reusable packaging is not something that’s typical within the QSR space, we wanted to make sure we found the right partners that could help us explore the topic and also present it in a way that could be executable,” Banton says. “So, we connected with the team at Loop, and we found we had mutual interests, starting essentially with minimizing our impact on the planet. Once we agreed on those principles, it was clear the partnership made sense on both sides.” The pilot will launch in 2021 in select Burger King restaurants in New York City, Portland, and Tokyo, and in select Tim Hortons locations in Toronto. These pilot cities were chosen for two reasons, shares Banton: “One, we have amazing franchises in those locations—we have good operators and good footprints for our businesses there. On top of that, those are also markets that leverage the networks where Loop is already established, which will help maximize our ability to get into these pilots as quickly as possible.” Prototypes of the reusable packaging, which include a container for sandwiches and a beverage cup for soft drinks and coffee, were developed by RBI’s in-house design team along with one of its agency partners. Banton says the prototype is just an initial starting point; he foresees many tweaks in the coming months before the designs and materials are finalized. Considerations include what functional features will be needed, such as opening and closing and the height and width of the packaging, and how these will fit into the QSRs’ supply chain systems, how the packages can be adopted around the world, and how they can be made scalable. RBI is also targeting a minimum of 100 uses for the packaging. “Then, ultimately, it will depend on how guests adopt the program once we do the pilot,” Banton adds. The container deposit cost is also still being determined. RBI is working with Loop to identify the proper threshold to ensure the deposit is low enough that guests will adopt the program, but high enough that they will be encouraged to return the packaging. “There’s still a lot of work to do to finalize that piece,” says Banton. “I think it also goes hand in hand with the final creation of the reusable asset, because those things are intrinsically tied. So, I think they’ll come together at relatively the same time.” As for the return and deposit collection system, RBI currently envisions a system whereby when the consumer is ready to return the reusable packaging, they will scan the cup or container through the use of the Loop app, at which time their deposit will be returned, and they will place the package into a designated Loop receptacle or collection bin. The packaging will then be professionally cleaned and sanitized by Loop. Says Burger King, “Our partnership with Loop aligns with Burger King restaurants’ rigorous safety procedures around cleanliness and hygiene, all of which have become even more pressing during the current pandemic. Loop’s cleaning systems have been created to sanitize food containers and cups, meaning each will be hygienically cleaned and safe before each use.” While Banton says no one knows the future when it comes to sustainability and some of the new green packaging initiatives, RBI is testing things now to make sure its business is future-proofed. “So, will reusables be part of the future? I’m not sure. But if they are, we’ll be ready.”

  Shutterstock For companies with sustainable packaging goals, 2025 is fast approaching. That’s the year when many have pledged to become zero waste, or to use 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging. But COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in those plans, with single-use packaging skyrocketing, low fossil fuel prices and disrupted recycling systems, already weakened by China’s 2018 plastics waste ban. Yet, at the same time, the pandemic has led to a surge in environmental and sustainability awareness by showing how much carbon emissions can drop, or wildlife can flourish, when the world’s economic engine slows down. As TerraCycle founder and CEO, Tom Szaky, put it, "The world is waking up, but the systems that are there that allow them to act are going the other way. There’s this divergence, which is a great opportunity for anyone who can bridge the gap." Bridging that gap with novel solutions and collaborations, in a race against the clock, is one of five key themes to keep an eye on for sustainable packaging in 2021.

1. A year for reckoning — and opportunity

In September, Waste Management published a report identifying gaps in the plastics recycling system, in response to shareholder pressure from As You Sow and Trillium Asset Management. The report provided a bit of a roadmap for 2021, according to Nina Goodrich, director of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and executive director of GreenBlue. It was critical for helping stakeholders understand the system, the supply chain, and the role that emerging tech will play, and it "provided the environment for everyone to buckle down and say, ‘Uh-oh, how are we going to do this?’" she said. That is, how will stakeholders meet their recycling goals? Noting, for example, that the report revealed that only 30 percent of PET is collected, and most of that goes into fiber, Goodrich queried, "How does one create a system where there’s 100 percent recycled content and recyclability when you have more than one market demanding that material?" Clearly, stakeholders will have to get out of their silos and collaborate across sectors. Although it’s a challenging time, with companies’ 2025 sustainable packaging goals coming due and the recycling market in disarray, Szaky said he believes that 2021 will be an interesting year: "We’re going to see a lot of people leaning in on these topics in a way they haven’t before." For Loop, the reusable packaging platform that allows consumers to buy goods in durable packaging and return it to producers after use, that means opportunity. "It’s a pretty exciting time for us," Szaky told GreenBiz. "We’re booming."

2. Reuse models will continue to grow

Loop is fast growing, raising $25 million last year. It’s moving into quick service restaurants including Burger King, McDonald’s and Tim Hortons in 2021. "The big theme for next year is retailers are starting to do in-store quite aggressively," said Szaky. Carrefour already has begun in France. Many of the other 15 retailers that Loop works with are starting store rollouts in six countries in 2021, according to Szaky. Loop isn’t the only reusable packaging platform seeing strong growth. Algramo expanded into New York City last summer. Plenty of new reuse pilots are springing up, such as Good Goods, a New York City startup that incentivizes customers to return their wine bottles to the point of sale, or the dozens of other projects summarized in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation report, "Reuse — Rethinking Packaging." In fact, experimentation is the name of the game with reuse models, according to Kate Daly, managing director at Closed Loop Partners. "We’re very much in an age of experimentation, and need to continually interrogate what are the unintended consequences when you switch from one system to another," said Daly. "We really want to make sure that sustainable choices like reusable packaging aren’t just limited for people who can pay extra for their goods." Also key is ensuring that reusables get the longest life and largest recapture rate, and that they’re recyclable and recoverable at the end of their life. To foster learning about what works and doesn’t work, Closed Loop Partners will release a report this month on its 2020 pilot initiative with Cup Club, a NextGen Cup Challenge awardee, and its experience marketing reusable cups across multiple cafes in the Bay Area.

3. Compostable packaging finds a niche with food waste

Biopolymers and compostable materials are quickly becoming an alternative to disposable packaging, but there’s a confusing array of materials being developed. Some bio-based materials such as bio-PET are derived from biological materials, but are not biodegradable. Meanwhile, other bio-based materials such as PLA, (polylactic acid), a natural polymer made from corn starch or sugar cane, is biodegradable, although not in the way a consumer might assume it to be. To help brands and others understand the fast-evolving landscape of bio-based materials, Closed Loop Partner’s released "Navigating Plastic Alternatives in a Circular Economy." We’re very much in an age of experimentation, and need to continually interrogate what are the unintended consequences when you switch from one system to another. Among its conclusions, the report finds that compostable alternatives are not a silver-bullet solution, in part because there is not enough recovery infrastructure to recapture their full value efficiently. Plus, among the 185 commercial composting facilities that exist, many don’t accept compostable-certified packaging. "We have to rethink where composting is appropriate and where it isn’t. It is a really good solution where you have food waste," Goodrich said. Daly agrees: "What we wouldn’t want to see is any format that is being successfully recycled being converted to a compostable format when there isn’t the infrastructure possible. That would create a misalignment between the material and infrastructure that would exacerbate the challenges already in place today."

4. Extended producer responsibility takes off

Last month, the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) and Product Stewardship Association (PSI) released a joint statement calling for extended producer responsibility at the end of life for flexible packaging and paper. The statement lays out eight policy elements that could go into legislation, including a mechanism for producer funding for collection, transportation and processing of packaging, among other critical funding needs for municipal recycling facilities. "With this agreement, FPA member companies and PSI member governments, companies, and organizations have started down a path together to provide desperately needed fiscal relief for municipalities while fixing and expanding our national reuse and recycling system," said Scott Cassel, PSI’s chief executive officer and founder, in a press release. Goodrich called it "groundbreaking." Remarkably, FPA wasn’t the only industry association to step up on extended producer responsibility. The Recycling Partnership released "Accelerating Recycling," a policy proposal outlining fees that brands and packaging producers would pay that would help fund residential recycling infrastructure and education. A proposed per-ton disposal fee could be required at landfills, incinerators and waste-to-energy plants, with the revenue going to local governments for recycling programs. The American Chemistry Council also came out with a position paper supporting packaging fees across multiple material types, in addition to disposal fees to equalize the costs of disposal versus recycling. "Two years ago, you couldn’t even mention this, and now you have a series of industry proposals being put on the table. That is incredibly significant," said Goodrich.

5. Rising action to eliminate toxics from food packaging

Amazon was the latest among more than half a dozen major food retailers — from Whole Foods to Trader Joe’s to Ahold Delhaize — to announce a ban on certain toxic chemicals and plastics in food packaging materials. The new restrictions apply to Amazon Kitchen brand products sold through the tech giant’s various grocery services, but not to other private-label or Amazon brand-name food contact materials, such as single-use plates. Still, it’s a good start. And Amazon’s actions "send a strong signal to competing grocery store chains that they need to get their act together, and also tackle some of the same chemicals of concern that scientists are sounding the alarm on," Mike Schade, campaign director for Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, Mind the Store, told GreenBiz. We really see a sense of urgency around these issues, as plastic production continues, as more and more materials are lost to landfill that we’re not able to recapture as a valuable resource. Schade has seen rising attention over the past few years on the part of both food retailers and fast casual restaurants, such as Sweet Green, towards not only banning specific chemicals, but also restricting classes of chemicals. Getting toxics out of packaging, in flexible films in particular, was also on the agenda at a 2020 RCD Packaging Innovation workshop that brought together 80 representatives from consumer brands, waste managers and the plastics industry over a nine-month period. Such attention on toxics is critical, as a comprehensive report on the health impacts of endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in packaging and other plastics materials underscored last month. Bisphenol A, phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and dioxins are among the chemicals that disturb the body’s hormone systems, and can cause cancer, diabetes and reproductive disorders, and harm children’s developing brains. Expect more food retailers and fast casual restaurants to ban or restrict endocrine-disrupting chemicals from their packaging. But, as Schade point out, those chemicals are just the "tip of the toxic iceberg." Much more work is needed to get to the larger universe of chemicals. More work is needed all around in 2021 to advance a circular economy. "We really see a sense of urgency around these issues, as plastic production continues, as more and more materials are lost to landfill that we’re not able to recapture as a valuable resource," said Daly. "And the approaches must be collaborative and systemic. None of us can do this alone."

Even as the coronavirus pandemic challenged companies to do more to support their communities while bracing against economic upheaval, many refused to let their sustainability ambitions fall by the wayside. Case in point: These 10 brands moved a step closer to closed-loop operations this year — and their example helps to pave the way for a truly circular economy in which nothing becomes waste.

Nike rides the circular economy all the way to the Olympics

Nike launched a host of circular products this year, including a recycled-content version of the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star and an "exploratory footwear collection" made from factory and post-consumer waste. But the line of competition apparel for the Tokyo Olympics (pictured above) was arguably crown jewel in the brand's 2020 foray into the circular economy. Although the Tokyo games were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, athletes representing the U.S., France and Brazil will compete in Nike uniforms made with 100 percent recycled polyester when teams take the field in 2021, proving that circularity doesn't mean sacrificing performance.

Burger King tests reusable packaging

The fast-food chain made headlines in October with news it plans to test reusable packaging in partnership with TerraCycle’s Loop initiative. Beginning next year, Burger King will trial reusable containers for sandwiches and drinks at select restaurants in New York, Portland, and Tokyo. Customers who request reusable packaging will be charged a deposit, which is returned when cups and boxes are returned to in-restaurant collection points, where they're sanitized and put back into use. The trial is part of Burger King’s goal to source all packaging from renewable, recyclable, or certified sources by 2025 and follows rival chain McDonald’s move to test reusable cups in the United Kingdom.

Loop expands across the continental U.S.

Reusable packaging platform Loop launched in 2019, and its model of delivering mainstream products in reusable packaging has grown in popularity since then. Even as people grew wary of reusable items due to the coronavirus pandemic, Loop saw its sales surge in 2020 — and in September, its service rolled out to all 48 contiguous U.S. states. "Consumers are understandably anxious in this new world, but they still want to make purposeful purchases," Heather Crawford, Loop’s global VP of marketing and e-commerce, told TriplePundit in May. "If you can meet shoppers where they are — which is, right now, at home and online — and also establish trust in the safety and hygiene of the reuse system, even in a difficult situation, what we're seeing is that consumers still really embrace it." Used Ikea furniture is refurbished before returning to the sale floor. (Image credit: Ikea)

Ikea rolls out buyback program for used furniture

Ikea kicked off a large-scale furniture buyback program on Black Friday last month. Twenty-seven countries, including Germany, Australia, Canada and Japan, will be part of the project Ikea is calling “Buy Back.” The United States will not initially participate, though U.S. stores may join in the future, a spokeswoman said. Where available, customers can receive up to 50 percent of an item’s original price in the form of a store voucher. Items not resold will be recycled or donated to local community projects, according to the company.

Adidas unveils fully recyclable sneaker

This fall, Adidas rolled out a fully recyclable version of its Ultraboost running shoe, made from a single material without glue. The shoes were raffled off to interested consumers in October, but Adidas plans to launch a successor in a larger volume in the spring of next year. Last year the footwear giant also sold 15 million pairs of sneakers made with plastic collected from beaches and coastlines in partnership with Parley for the Oceans, with plans to up that figure to 17 million in 2021.

It’s no surprise that convenient, generalist websites like Amazon are thriving this year as the coronavirus pandemic has forced most Americans into their homes for the long haul. In fact, in March and April, Amazon was even discouraging its customers from purchasing too many items, as the massive influx of orders was causing a shortage of items and shipping delays. Those issues aside, a growing reliance on online shopping is weighing heavily on the environment. According to Adobe Digital Economy Index’s latest data, U.S. e-commerce jumped by 49 percent in April, with online grocers experiencing a 110 percent boost in daily sales between March and April. Recent data suggests that e-commerce giant Alibaba’s single-day sales hit more than $38 billion in revenue this year, and according to Adept Packaging, those additional e-commerce sales resulted in 75 million extra plastic bags. Here is where industry newcomer Loop swoops in — the brainchild of entrepreneur Tom Szaky, who created the innovative recycling company TerraCycle as a Princeton drop out with the goal to recycle the food waste from the university dining halls into fertilizer. His company is now worth $20 million, and he’s branching out. In May of 2019 the program first started a webshop, supplying customers with the products they already know and love, from Haagen Dazs ice cream to Pantene shampoo and conditioner. The twist? Their containers were not just recyclable, but truly reusable — meaning they could be cleaned and then given a new life, if not a hundred. Now, big name retailers including Kroger are planning to make space in stores for Loop next year, utilizing TerraCycle’s refillable packaging system. Customers will be able to visit Loop stations to purchase a wide array of household products, all sold in stainless steel tins that Loop has specifically designed to eventually be returned, cleaned and sold again in a “milkman” style system. The refundable packaging does come at a small cost to consumers, who are required to pay a deposit that ranges from $1 to $10, depending on the container’s size and material. Loop’s Global Vice President of Creative and Communications, Lauren Taylor, says that the pandemic has fortunately not forced the company to shift priorities, sharing that, in fact, sales are at a platform-high. “Our priorities will continue to be aimed at eliminating waste and offering consumers their favorite brands and products in higher quality, better designed reusable packaging.” “Loop just launched in the United Kingdom July 15, and as of Sep. 15, 2020, Loop will be available to consumers in every ZIP code in the 48 contiguous U.S. states,” says Taylor. “Next year we will launch in Toronto, Tokyo and Australia. We are also working with select fast-food restaurants and beauty stores to provide reusable packaging to consumers. Be on the lookout for that in 2021.” How might that experience look in store? Well, at places such as Tesco in the United Kingdom and Carrefour in France, customers can be on the lookout for Loop corners, or areas of a store designed for products packaged in Loop’s containers. Aeon Co., Japan’s largest supermarket group, also plans to introduce Loop corners to 16 of their stores in the greater Tokyo area by next March. “We want people to come in and fall in love with these really cute, beautiful packages, understand the message and get excited about it,” Satoshi Morikiyo, general manager of  convenience goods at Aeon, told The Wall Street Journal. “Shopping trips are not necessarily something people look forward to, but this is a cool experience that offers something of a discovery—something new and fun.” Indeed, Taylor tells Changing America that with more than 100,000 people signed up for Loop, they’re excited to be expanding their services to the entirety of the continental United States and that rapidly growing consumer demand has secured Loop more than 80 partners and 400 products — a number that continues to grow weekly.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation's latest progress report on where consumer goods companies stand on the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment shows substantial work ahead. While this year’s Global Commitment 2020 Progress Report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation reveals rising interest in companies moving from single-use packaging toward reuse models, this approach is still a small part of circular economy initiatives. The goal of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment update, now in its second year, is to assess how the 118 companies and 17 governments that have made pledges to to reduce waste from plastic packaging by 2025 are faring on their targets. Consumer brands that have signed onto the project include large brands that collectively make up 20% of the plastic packaging market. While some key indicators in the report saw progress made in the 2018-2019 timeframe, notably in the increased use of recycled content, it was clear that not all areas (and not all companies) are progressing in tandem. For the category of reuse, 56% of signatories in the production, packaged goods and retail sectors reported that implementation of reuse pilots was either underway or soon to come. This was up 43% from the previous reporting year. Yet despite this growing interest, the report indicated the share of reusable packaging “has not increased from the prior year,” making up just 1.9% of the market by weight. The remaining 98.1% of the market was single-use products. It also stated the reusable packaging in play is “primarily driven by a few companies who derive significant revenues from reuse models.” And while over half of signatories have reuse models in place, many of them are largely limited to just a few product lines in the categories of non-alcoholic beverages, cleaning products, cosmetics and personal care. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation did not respond to a request for comment on the report's findings. The apparent lack of progress may be in part explained by the length of time it takes to develop reuse systems, said Clarissa Morawski, CEO of the circular economy nonprofit Reloop. “The entire development of a reuse system for packaging requires careful planning, design, digitalization, setting up effective collection points, financing and securing the assets through back end management… No small feat,” she said. TerraCycle’s Loop program, for example, which develops and services reusable packaging for some of the program’s signatories, previously said research and development on each new product is around 6 to 18 months. But Judith Enck, president of the nonprofit Beyond Plastics said that “unless major retooling is necessary,” successful reusable systems “do not have to take a lot of time.” She cited Oregon's refillable bottle system as a positive example, stating that retailers often just need the right model and that may include some level of industry-wide cooperation. “The major problem is that there are few commitments to reuse, that are well funded and prioritized,” said Enck. “We have a solid waste hierarchy at the federal and state level that starts with waste reduction and reuse. But, in practice, the hierarchy has been turned upside down with most of the money and attention going to the bottom two rungs of the hierarchy: burying and burning of materials.” Large-scale examples of reuse referenced in the report came from pre-existing legacy programs, like Danone S.A.’s use of refillable water jugs, which has been in play since the late '90s. According to a company spokesperson, the program started “to help provide access to safe, quality water in countries [like Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey] where that can be a challenge" and has since become part of its circularity plans. “The refillable jugs offer a 95% reduction in plastic per liter sold and a 60% reduction in CO2 compared to standard bottle [1.5 liters]. We’re learning from these successful models in order to expand them to other countries in the EU.” Danone said 50% of its water is delivered through this program, though its smaller water bottles are still disposable. According to the report, the company is planning to invest 200 million euros in a packaging accelerator to scale up reuse elsewhere in its operations. Another potential hiccup in the road to reuse may be COVID-19’s impacts on the circular economy, which is only briefly mentioned in the report as it covers progress in the year prior to the pandemic. While these impacts are unlikely to eclipse the potential of reuse, sources say they may change the way models manifest and trends play out moving forward. For example, the report highlighted PepsiCo’s "SodaStream Professional" program, which saw 30 SodaStream units placed in workplaces, universities and hospitality partners across the U.S. in 2019. These units dispense flavored still or sparkling waters into workers’ refillable personal containers through a QR code they scan on their smartphones. But according to a PepsiCo spokesperson, many of the places in which SodaStream Professional is used are temporarily closed due to the pandemic. The company said it is working with clients to “determine the best way to introduce SodaStream Professional as part of their reopening plans” and that it is focusing its emphasis on contactless technology to “allow users to customize and pour without having to touch the unit at all.” But others believe a “refill on the go” model — the most popular of the five models identified for reuse, in which users refill their reusable container away from home, like at an in-store dispensing system — is on its way out. Earlier this year, Loop CEO Tom Szaky predicted a shift in this area. “If it's professionally cleaned and filled, the risk on reuse is exactly the same as the risk on single-use, which is also professionally packed,” he said, referring to the advantages of ecommerce refill delivery services, like Loop. Consumers refilling their own containers, he added, "is really where the big question mark is." Currently, the progress report lists “refill from home” as a category with 26 pilots, the fewest on the list. The report indicated that no signatories have lowered their targets in the face of the pandemic, and cited some have upped their pledges to invest in circular economy pilots in recent months. Shortly after the report's release, Colgate Palmolive Company released its 2025 sustainability goals, which include eliminating a third of plastics “as part of the transition to 100% recyclable, reusable, or compostable plastic packaging by 2025.” As more companies set such targets, experts say it's important to remember not all targets are created equal. While some are designed to measure the amount of reduced plastic in the consumer packaging market, others are measuring the ability of corporations to develop pilots that might help them do that. "A lot of companies are pushing circular economy of plastics just as a delay tactic," said Jan Dell, an independent engineer with The Last Beach Cleanup, in reference to societal pressures around plastics reduction. But while pilots may not have immediate effects, they are still an important measuring stick, Morawski said. “These pilots are the R&D, which is part of this long important process. This is a huge shift for this industry,” Morawski said. “The key will be how did they go? What did you learn? And how does this inform the next steps for the larger system implementation?”

Sustainability must be a fundamental element of all retailers’ strategies. From the smallest local retailer to the biggest big box store, consumers increasingly expect the brands they support to be thinking about their impact on our environment. Gen Z is driving this shift, even signaling a willingness to pay a premium for goods rooted in sustainability. Consumers are demanding “greener” brands and more transparency, and brands have to meet these expectations to attract new customers and retain existing ones. The move away from disposable shopping bags seemed like a major adjustment when it first came into widespread practice—now it’s table-stakes (or was, pre-COVID). Today, there’s unlimited opportunity for how retailers can prove their commitment to protecting our environment. Here are a few related trends:

1. Reusable products

This encompasses a large swath of product categories. The first that comes to mind is products that reuse single-use plastic. This began with reusable shopping bags and has since expanded to reusable straws, to-go cups, produce bags, and more. It goes even further than this, though: brands are buying back their own products so they can reuse the raw materials for new products. IKEA, for example, will buy back furniture from consumers to give the items a “second life” and prevent them from ending up in a landfill. Reusable products are a testament to the rise of the circular economy, in which the main goal is eliminating waste and promoting the continual use of resources. TerraCycle Loop, for instance, is a program where consumers can buy their favorite products from their favorite brands—but with reusable packaging.

2. Transparency in when, where, and how brands source their goods.

Knowing exactly where their products come from is becoming increasingly important to consumers. Food kicked this trend off (e.g. “buy organic”) but it has expanded to tech, beauty, and fashion. All of these industries inform their customers of where their source materials originate and whether their products adhere to environmental categories such as vegan. Trader Joe’s is going beyond transparency in its food offerings and will even let customers know where the building materials of their stores come from. I’ve noticed at Trader Joe’s locations that their walls are adorned with messages detailing that they are made of sustainably-sourced wood, often repurposed from other buildings that were being torn down.

3. A focus on energy efficiency and renewables

Getting to carbon neutrality will be heavily dependent on energy. Clean and efficient energy is one of the hottest trends in the sustainability movement. One group, RE100, is a nonprofit membership organization that brands can become a part of by meeting energy efficiency goals. Hundreds of large brands are involved, working to achieve 100% renewable energy—including retailers that also pledge to rely on clean, renewable energy to power their manufacturing and delivery operations.

4. Organically produced and net-negative plastic products

Shoppers that eat organic want to wear organic, too. Products are being made from plastics removed from polluted environments, or completely natural materials. The shoe category is a great example of innovation in this space: Allbirds makes several sustainable shoes and Sperry makes a boat shoe made of recovered plastics from marine environments.

5. Evaluating influence on natural resources

Consider how iconic fashion retail brand Tommy Hilfiger has adjusted its operations. Through its Make It Possible program, the brand is focused on “reducing [its] negative impacts to zero, increasing [its] positive impacts to 100% and improving one million lives in its value chain.” In many ways, this means a complete departure from its long-time processes, like switching from washing denim in water and instead using lasers to wear-down the fabric—ensuring dyes don’t make their way into the water source. Consumers are taking notice of brands really doing their part. Retailers must continue to implement new and creative methods for reducing their negative environmental and societal footprints.  

Tupperware Brands has announced a partnership with TerraCycle’s circular reuse platform Loop, aimed at eliminating waste and improving the delivery, design, and features of products. This partnership is intended to launch in 2021, initially offering to consumers across the United States the ability to purchase products from consumer brands and retailers packaged in reusable Tupperware products. Aligned in the collective mission to reduce waste through a circular recycling system, the collaboration will provide a new packaging offering for Loop while advancing Tupperware’s No Time to Waste initiative to significantly reduce single-use plastic and food waste by 2025. Tupperware says it is the first reusable plastic container brand partner for Loop, adding to the platform’s catalogue of reusable glass and metal containers. Loop’s brand partners will soon have the opportunity to access enhanced options to package, store, and ship products to US consumers through a collaboration with Tupperware. Loop is a global reuse platform that partners with brands and retailers with the objective of shifting from a disposable to a durable supply chain where manufacturers own their packaging in the long term. In this model, consumers do not own the package, yet they own the product within. Products available on the Loop platform are packaged and shipped directly to consumers in a specially designed tote. Once used, products are retrieved through free at-home pickup, then cleaned, refilled and reused – creating a first-of-its-kind circular packaging system. In 2021, along with online shopping, Loop customers will be able to participate in Loop at its retail partners in-store locations. In 2019, Tupperware announced its collaboration with SABIC, a petrochemical company, for the introduction of certified circular polymers into its product offerings. The collaboration with SABIC highlights the shared commitment by both companies to advance a more circular economy, where plastic waste and materials are used, reused, and repurposed to continue their lifecycle.

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Tupperware Brands (NYSE:TUP) has announced a partnership with TerraCycle's circular reuse platform Loop, aimed at eliminating waste and greatly improving the delivery, design and features of products. This partnership is intended to launch in 2021, initially offering to consumers across the United States the ability to purchase products from leading consumer brands and retailers packaged in durable, reusable Tupperware® products. Aligned in the collective mission to reduce waste through a circular recycling system, the collaboration will provide a new packaging offering for Loop while advancing Tupperware's No Time to Waste® initiative to significantly reduce single-use plastic and food waste by 2025. Tupperware is the first reusable plastic container brand partner for Loop, adding to the platform's catalogue of reusable glass and metal containers. Due to the strength, resilience and weight characteristics of reusable plastic solutions and Tupperware's experience and knowledge in engineered resin and sustainable plastics technology, Loop's brand partners will have the opportunity to access enhanced options to package, store and ship products to U.S. consumers through a collaboration with Tupperware. "From our start nearly 75 years ago, Tupperware has been the leader in reusable, environmentally friendly and long lasting products in homes around the world," said Patricio Cuesta, President of Commercial Worldwide at Tupperware Brands. "By teaming up with Loop, we are excited to use our knowledge in product design and reusability to contribute to the circular recycling model. This partnership also allows us to learn more on how to address single-use plastic in the packaging of our own products to make it more sustainable for the future. We look forward to teaming up with other brands to collectively work to nurture a better future for our planet and communities by finding solutions to reduce waste across consumer touch points." Loop is a global reuse platform that partners with brands and retailers with the objective of shifting from a disposable to a durable supply chain where manufacturers own their packaging in the long term. In this model, consumers do not own the package yet they own the product within. Products available on the Loop platform are packaged and shipped directly to consumers in a specially designed tote. Once used, products are retrieved through free at-home pickup, then cleaned, refilled and reused – creating a first-of-its-kind circular packaging system. In 2021, along with online shopping, Loop customers will be able to participate in Loop at its retail partners in-store locations. "We couldn't have a more qualified partner than Tupperware to be our first plastics container brand partner," said TerraCycle and Loop CEO Tom Szaky. "Their long heritage and knowledge in durable, reusable product development makes them a valuable resource to our partners who are looking to improve the design and functionality of their packaging." The partnership with Loop marks Tupperware's latest commitment to advancing circular economy efforts. In 2019, Tupperware launched "No Time to Waste®," its commitment to significantly reduce plastic and food waste by 2025. Since then, Tupperware has partnered with key organizations dedicated to a circular economy, by becoming a signatory of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's and UNEP's New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, and sponsored organizations like the National Park Foundation to advance efforts to educate park visitors about the benefits of using reusable, functional products to support waste-free adventures. Tupperware has also expanded its ECO+ material line by testing new innovations such as bio-based material to add to the portfolio of material derived from circular polymers. Learn more about Tupperware's No Time to Waste® commitment at www.sustainability.tupperwarebrands.com. About Tupperware Brands Corporation Tupperware Brands Corporation (NYSE: TUP) is a leading global consumer products company that designs innovative, functional and environmentally responsible products that people love and trust. Founded in 1946, Tupperware's signature container created the modern food storage category that revolutionized the way the world stores, serves and prepares food. Today, this iconic brand has more than 8,500 functional design and utility patents for solution-oriented kitchen and home products. With a purpose to nurture a better future, Tupperware® products are an alternative to single-use items. The Company distributes its products into nearly 80 countries primarily through independent representatives around the world. For more information, visit Tupperwarebrands.com or follow Tupperware on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. About Loop Loop is an initiative from TerraCycle, www.terracycle.com, an innovative waste management company whose mission is to Eliminate the Idea of Waste®. Operating nationally across 20 countries, TerraCycle partners with leading consumer product companies, retailers, cities, and facilities to recycle hard to recycle waste. Loop has been designed to addresses the issue of waste at its source by providing consumers a circular shopping platform while encouraging manufacturers to own and take responsibility for their packaging on the long term. SOURCE Tupperware Brands Corporation