IFCO, a company specialising in reusable packaging solutions for fresh food, has released abehind-the-scenes documentary titled "The cycle of tomorrow." It highlights how IFCO is transforming the fresh grocery supply chain for REWE Group, with its European retail operations, through its unique circular model, the IFCO SmartCycle.
Ahead of the United Nations' 100-year anniversary in 2045, the Vision 2045 campaign presents a series of documentaries highlighting leaders committed to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As part of this campaign, the documentary features IFCO, which has pioneered reusable packaging since 1992, providing sustainable alternatives to single-use packaging for growers, producers, and retailers. IFCO's circular model is recognized as a role model for SDG 12, promoting responsible consumption and production.
The documentary follows the reusable packaging containers (RPCs) on a typical circular journey, starting at one of the state-of-the-art IFCO Service Centers, where the sanitized RPCs begin their trip, through to the producer, retailer and back – with a stop at a local food bank along the way. The film shows IFCO's circular model as both a radical and simple solution to the global waste crisis caused by single-use packaging and food loss and waste in the fresh grocery supply chain.
The strengths of the circular pooling system are highlighted through one multi-partner long-term commitment to sustainability. It involves IFCO, REWE Group, Gemüsebau Steiner, a local eco-friendly fruit and vegetable grower, and Tafel, one of the largest food bank organizations in Europe. As the documentary captures the journey, each partner explains the key benefits of the IFCO SmartCycle from their perspective. The result is a convincing argument for more circularity and reusable packaging solutions in the fresh grocery supply chain.
For Michael Pooley, IFCO CEO, being selected for the documentary is confirmation of the importance of IFCO's mission: "Our purpose is to make the fresh grocery supply chain sustainable. There are now over eight billion people on the planet, and we have a very fixed set of resources. For us to have a sustainable future, circular models like the IFCO SmartCycle are the only solution."
It's this circular model that brings compelling benefits for REWE Group, a long-standing partner retailer of IFCO. Marc Rademacher, Executive Director Ultrafresh, REWE Group, explains in the film: "IFCO's SmartCycle enables us to reduce waste in our supply chains and is therefore an important part of our commitment to sustainability."
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