Munich, Germany, January 27 2022: IFCO {{BB #160386}}, the worlds leading provider of Reusable Packaging Containers (RPCs) for fresh grocery products, has awarded its annual Sustainability Certificate for the fifth consecutive year to retailers and growers, acknowledging their sustainability efforts by using IFCO RPCs.
IFCO is a pioneer in promoting supply chain sustainability through its business model based upon the circular economy. In 2021, IFCO customers who used IFCO RPCs were able to save more than 616.699 metric tonnes of CO2e emissions.
IFCO has been pioneering reusable packing solutions for over 30 years. The company’s business model is based on the circular economy. Crates can be reused up 120 times, and when they are no longer repairable, 100% of them are recycled into new IFCO RPCs.
Cradle-to-Cradle Certified (Version 3.1), was awarded to the European line of IFCO lift lock RPCs in 2021 at the Silver level and at the Gold level regarding Material Reutilization. The company’s comprehensive ESG (Environmental Social Governance 2025) strategy was recently revealed to further increase its sustainability commitment and drive a circular economy. IFCO has created this agenda to address climate change and food wastage in order to provide sustainable fresh grocery supply chains.
IFCO RPCs can save food equivalent to 92,000,000 meals
As a response to increased consumer demands, IFCO is constantly monitoring the environmental benefits generated by its unique business model, the IFCO SmartCycle, which is based on the principle of “share and reuse” and thus reduces the environmental footprint of companies supply chains.
Numerous external scientific Life Cycle Analysis studies123 have shown that RPCs can save up to 60% on CO2e, energy (64%), water (80%), and solid waste (upto 86%) when compared to single-use packaging.IFCO scientifically quantifies its SmartCycle’s environmental benefits by using third-party peer reviewed Life Cycle Analysis studies based upon ISO14044.
Using IFCO Solutions in 2021 resulted in the following environmental savings
- 616.999 metric tons CO2 equal to 333.190 fewer cars per year
- 10,8 million cubic meters water, equivalent to more 244 million five minute showers
- 38.688 terajoules (or enough electricity) are enough to power over 20.4 million light bulbs per year.
- 310.795 metric tonnes of solid waste is equivalent to the amount of trash produced daily by 229,000,000 people
- 55.287 metric tons food product waste equals 92 million meals worldwide.
These benefits extend to IFCO customer supply chains and are a significant achievement in protecting fresh products while still ensuring sustainability.
“As the company that makes sustainability its purpose, striving for a sustainable fresh grocery supply chain, IFCO is very proud to acknowledge its clients commitment to a sustainable future. We realize that the majority of our customers have committed to ambitious sustainability targets and we are delighted to contribute to their progress and provide reliable evidence of their savings”, explains Michael Pooley, CEO at IFCO SYSTEMS.
The IFCO’s Sustainability Certificate strengthens growers and retailers commitment to sustainability
IFCO launched its sustainability certification initiative in September 2018. This was when North American and European retailers began to inquire about the environmental benefits of IFCO RPCs.
Each grower and retailer customer will be issued a certificate highlighting the amount and type of carbon emissions, water and energy, solid waste and food waste they have avoided by using IFCO RPCs within their supply chain.
