The unpackaged truth
20.07.2023 – Who knows this situation? You're in the supermarket and see - once again - a product that consists of almost more packaging than content. For example: a quarter of the weight of packaged ham is pure plastic. For certain fruit quark products, up to 20 percent of the total weight is packaging waste. Unfortunately, this is the unpackaged truth of the classic supermarket. But it doesn't always have to be like this.
A blog post by Juliette Arnaud, intern in Corporate Communications at Stadtwerke Offenbach
The number of unpackaged stores, i.e. stores that sell unpackaged food, has been growing since around 2010. The aim here is both to reduce food waste by allowing customers to cut their own portion sizes and to avoid the packaging waste that is quickly generated by products from traditional supermarkets. These stores also aim to counteract food overproduction. However, these stores are not only exemplary when it comes to waste, as most of them adhere to the standards of organic, i.e. healthy products, a regional range that supports local structures and avoids long transport routes, as well as a seasonal and therefore sustainable range.
But how does it work at all, without any packaging?
Conventional disposable packaging methods are replaced in unpackaged stores by containers that customers bring themselves, such as cans or screw-top jars, as well as vegetable or fruit nets, i.e. reusable alternatives. In addition, reusable containers are usually offered for sale or hire in the stores themselves in return for a deposit.
Various systems are used to store food, for example flour is stored in sealable boxes or bags and fruit and vegetables are usually stored in wooden crates. However, the best known are the so-called "gravity bins", containers, usually still made of plastic, which are attached vertically to the walls of the store and allow the desired quantity to be removed while complying with hygiene regulations; they often contain pasta, sweets or muesli. However, as plastic contradicts the concept of unpackaged stores, there are more and more containers made of stainless steel, wood and glass.
There are four steps to follow in order to do well in an unpackaged store:
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First, the empty container is weighed and the empty weight is noted on the container with a sticker or a foil pen.
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Now the desired quantity of a product can be filled into the container.
- The filled container is then weighed again. Depending on the store, this can be done either independently or at the checkout. This is how the filling weight is determined.
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Finally, the goods are paid for by weight.
Advantages compared to conventional supermarkets
In Germany, around 11 million tons of food are thrown away every year - seven percent of this, or 0.8 million tons, in the retail sector.
Supermarkets and discounters often discard goods that are still edible - for example, because they have reached their best-before date or fruit and vegetables have soft spots. Although these products are still edible in most cases, they often cannot be further processed and recycled in stores. However, throwing away this food not only increases organic waste that can be recycled. Packaging waste is also disposed of directly and too often both end up in residual waste and are incinerated.
In 2020, each of us generated an average of 225.8 kilograms of packaging waste from shopping in supermarkets and the like. By shopping in an unpackaged store, everyone can help to reduce this amount of packaging waste.
Sources
If you have any questions about resources and waste, the staff at the resources and waste advisory service will be happy to help you.