IFCO achieves 2 billion reusable packaging shipment milestone

Reusable packaging container provider IFCO delivered over 2 billion reusable packaging shipments of fresh produce, meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, bread and other fresh grocery products in 2022. 

With a circular economy business model based on share-reduce-reuse principles, IFCO enabled its supply chain customers to achieve substantial environmental savings, according to a news release.

IFCO is the leading global provider of reusable packaging solutions for fresh foods, serving customers in more than 50 countries, the company reports. IFCO operates a pool of over 370 million RPCs globally, the company reports.

In comparison with single-use packaging alternatives, IFCO RPCs reduce carbon emissions, water and energy usage, solid and food waste generation, and timber consumption, the release said. By sharing and reusing IFCO RPCs across global fresh product supply chains in 2022 IFCO customers saved:

• 614,072 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) — equivalent to driving to the moon 8,900 times.
• 11.8 million cubic meters of water — equivalent to 4,736 Olympic-sized pools.
• 42,214 terajoules of electricity — enough to power over 5.2 million electric vehicles for a year.
• 339,116 metric tons of solid waste — equivalent to 41,535 truckloads of waste.
• 55,140 metric tons of food product waste — equivalent to over 88 million meals.

IFCO calculates and quantifies the science-based savings through independent life cycle analysis scientific studies and awards customers with their portion of the savings through annual environmental savings certificates, the release said.

These certificates help fresh food growers, producers and retail customers quantify the environmental benefits of IFCO's solutions and how these contribute to their own sustainability key performance indicators.

“Two billion trips at a global scale is a monumental accomplishment. The magnitude of the environmental savings created through our circular business model reflects IFCO’s ability to achieve our purpose of making the fresh grocery supply chain sustainable and our capacity to enable our customers to achieve their own sustainability goals,” Michael Pooley, CEO of IFCO, said in the release.

In recognition of its efforts in managing its environmental, social and governance program, IFCO has recently been recognized by Sustainalytics, a leading independent ESG risk rating agency, as a 2023 ESG Top-Rated Company in Europe.