New plan for sustainable packaging in the Netherlands

GroentenFruit Huis has reviewed the industry sustainability plan for packaging (2013-2018) to prepare an updated more rigorous sustainability plan for the fruit and vegetable sector in the 2019-2022 period. The Branch Plan is part of the sustainability programme of the GroentenFruit Huis and will be used as a guideline towards further sustainability in the field of packaging. With the Sustainable Industry Plan, Packaging GroentenFruit Huis offers its affiliated companies a framework to make packaging more sustainable.

With the new plan, minimal environmental impact is being sought through the principles of the circular economy. This marks a clear break with current developments that involve more processed and packaged “convenience” products, with even unprocessed products increasingly being packaged. A sectorial approach is now being sought through knowledge-sharing about innovations with other parties in the chain. This should lead to a visibly different image of the vegetable and fruit assortment in the supermarket and other retail channels.

In this plan, this starting point is translated into specific goals based on 5 pillars:

1. Reduce packaging material and packaging alternatives

By 2022, the fruit and vegetable sector wants to reduce the amount (weight) of packaging material used by 15% (and by 25% for 2025) per kilogram of product sold compared to 2017.

2. Design for recycling (end-of-life)

The fruit and vegetable sector wants 90% of the packaging to be recyclable by 2022 (and 100% by 2025).

3. Raw materials and material use

The fruit and vegetable sector uses mono materials from raw materials with the lowest possible environmental impact. The materials used can be sorted out at waste processors and the material is suitable for recycling. The choice of materials will be based in 2021 on an objective measurement method for environmental impact.

4. Transport packaging

The fruit and vegetable sector uses (within the Netherlands) reusable transport packaging that is filled as efficiently as possible.

5. Communication & perception

The fruit and vegetable sector wants its efforts to make packaging more sustainable and to transfer the usefulness of packaging to users/consumers.