Changes rarely announce themselves loudly. They usually come gradually. Via an enquiry from a customer, a draft law, an internal meeting at which someone asks: ‘And what about reusable packaging?’ And suddenly you're sitting there as a sustainability manager in a company that has been producing disposable packaging for the food industry for decades - and you realise that the question is justified.
Reusable packaging is an issue that can no longer be avoided today. Not even for us. And to be honest: I think that's a good thing and I'm not alone at SPIES. Because at SPIES, we don't just see reusable packaging as a possible future field - we fundamentally regard it as an important and correct component of responsible packaging development.
SPIES stands for quality, product safety and efficiency. All our packaging fulfils exactly what it should. They are reliable, hygienic and resource-saving to use. It would be wrong to question this across the board. But it would be just as wrong not to check to see where we can develop further and break new ground. Not out of actionism, but because we bear responsibility.
This is precisely why we at SPIES have started to approach this topic. One of these steps: a reusable cup for hot beverage vending machines. A product that is robust, durable and suitable for everyday use and can be integrated into existing vending machine systems.
For me, this cup is also a symbol: for movement, for a willingness to learn, for a new perspective on what packaging can - and should - achieve in the future.
What is important to me in the discussion about reusable packaging is that is not the solution for everything. Especially in our existing product range, single-use still has a clear justification. When it comes to ‘sensitive’ foods, longer shelf life, the highest hygiene standards or efficient logistics, single-use is often the better solution.
For me, it is therefore not a question of replacing single-use products with reusable solutions across the board - but rather of using reusable products where it really makes sense. Where service life, return routes and application context fit together. And where we can use our expertise to help develop durable and functional solutions.
Because one thing is clear: a reusable product alone is not enough. It needs functioning take-back, cleaning and logistics systems. It needs acceptance and suitability for everyday use. And this is exactly where we want to get involved - with our material expertise, our experience in design and our many years of expertise in industrial packaging production.
A large part of my work in this context consists of providing sound information - for example on CO₂ emissions, energy consumption or the use of materials. After all, sustainable decisions need a solid foundation. At the same time, I liaise with colleagues, partners and customers to clarify queries, categorise expectations and find solutions together. Not everything is immediately clear, not every figure speaks for itself - but this is precisely where the challenge lies: making complex relationships tangible without oversimplifying them. And then to derive realistic next steps from this that have substance – and sustainability.
Reusable packaging will not change everything. But it can help to rethink packaging - in a more differentiated, well thought-out and durable way. And if we want to do business sustainably, then such approaches are part of it. Even if they are not perfect at first. Even if they mean effort. Even if they are not done out of habit, but out of conviction.
For me, it's not a question of black or white. It's a practical question: what can we do today to be a little better tomorrow?
Our reusable cup for industrial hot beverage vending machines is one of our answers.
