Pullach, Germany – IFCO Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) have generated $5.2 billion in supply chain savings since the company was founded in 1992, according to new data released by the company today. The cost-savings come from reduced labor and handling costs, reduced product damage rates and equipment, space and transport efficiencies provided by using RPCs versus one-way packaging.
“IFCO RPCs have inherent attributes that make them the ideal choice for packaging, transporting, storing and displaying fresh food,” said Wolfgang Orgeldinger, CEO of IFCO. “This impressive data confirms our shared and reusable business model benefits our customers and helps make the world a better place at the same time.”
IFCO’s research showed its RPCs have been used for 9.5 billion trips since the company was founded. The use of those RPCs led to a labor & handling cost-savings of more than $1.1 billion, and a savings of more than $3.6 billion in reduced product damage rates when compared with the use of one-way packaging. In addition, the use of IFCO RPCs also generated a savings of $605 million from equipment, space and transport efficiencies.
Additional research shows:
- RPCs are a more effective method for replenishing fresh produce versus cardboard boxes. The study showed RPCs are six times faster for apples and five times faster for peppers, confirming the critical role RPCs play in reducing labor costs.[i]
-
IFCO RPCs have had a positive impact on the environment.[ii] Over the past 25 years, they have:
- Eliminated 3.4 billion kg of CO2 emissions, the equivalent of removing nearly 500,000 cars from the roads.
- Prevented more than 951,000 metric tonnes of solid waste, enough to fill approximately 104,000 dump trucks.
- Reduced water consumption by 43 billion litres (11 billion gallons).
- Saved 317,982 metric tonnes of produce from damage and waste.[iii]
Throughout 2017, IFCO is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the company’s founding with a series of announcements, events and a donation of 25,000 € to food banks across Europe and North America.
“RPCs are the fastest type of fresh produce packaging because forward-thinking retailers and growers understand they are more efficient, cost-effective and sustainable. We look forward to working with our value chain partners for another 25 years and beyond to build a better supply chain,” concluded Mr. Orgeldinger.
Additional information
IFCO is the leading global provider of reusable packaging solutions for fresh foods, serving customers in 50+ countries. IFCO operates a pool of over 290 million Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) globally, which are used for over 1.4 billion shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, bread, and other items from suppliers to grocery retailers every year. IFCO RPCs ensure a better fresh food supply chain by protecting freshness and quality and lowering costs, food waste and environmental impact compared to single-use packaging. IFCO is a Brambles Company. For more information visit www.ifco.com.
Brambles Limited (ASX:BXB) is a supply-chain logistics company operating primarily through the CHEP and IFCO brands. Brambles enhances performance for customers by helping them transport goods through their supply chains more efficiently, sustainably and safely. The Group's primary activity is the provision of reusable unit-load equipment such as pallets, crates and containers for shared use by multiple participants throughout the supply chain, under a model known as "pooling". Brambles primarily serves customers in the fast-moving consumer goods (e.g. dry food, grocery, and health and personal care), fresh produce, beverage, retail and general manufacturing industries, counting many of the world's best-known brands among its customers. The Group also operates specialist container logistics businesses serving the automotive, aerospace and oil and gas sectors. Brambles has its headquarters in Sydney, Australia, but operates in more than 60 countries, with its largest operations in North America and Western Europe. Brambles employs more than 14,000 people and owns more than 590 million pallets, crates and containers through a network of approximately 850 service centres. For further information, please visit www.brambles.com.
[i] Interactive Packaging Study, Consumer Behavior Report. Package Insight, July 2017.
[ii] Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Reusable Plastic Containers conducted by Franklin Associates, a Division of Eastern Research Group (ERG), February 2017
[iii] Study by University of Bonn, Institute for Animal Science, Cold-Chain Management Working Group and the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics, “Determination of spoilage levels of fresh fruit and vegetables according to the type of packaging”, May 2013
Source: IFCO