The TOMRA reusable takeaway packaging system provides a unique convenience for businesses that offer takeaway food and drinks (like cafés and quick serve restaurants), as well as for consumers. The system is designed as an open system, meaning packaging from different packaging providers can be returned 24/7 to a shared infrastructure of automated collection points throughout a city.
High packaging return rates are ensured by combining unique consumer convenience with a monetary return incentive in the form of a deposit that is paid when purchasing the takeaway food/drink, and afterwards reimbursed in full to the consumer when the packaging is returned to a collection point. When returning the reusable cups to one of the automated TOMRA collection points specifically used for takeaway packaging, the customer receives the deposit reimbursement directly on their card/account. This is possible by tapping a contactless payment credential (card, phone, smartwatch, etc.) to activate the dedicated TOMRA collection point. An alternative return incentive can be a penalty which is charged if the packaging is not returned within a specified timeframe.
Click on the plus-sign buttons in the diagram below for further information about each component.
The use of a shared infrastructure of automated collection points where reusable packaging from all participating providers can be returned 24/7 is the cornerstone of our city solution, offering user convenience for both consumers and retail partners alike.
Our secure digital platform serves as the clearing system for the financial incentive used to encourage the return of the reusable packaging; tracks the number of times each reusable packaging item is circulated, providing transparency on the environmental performance of the system; and prevents any attempts to cheat or abuse the financial return incentive, ensuring the overall integrity of the system.
TOMRA, or a designated partner, maintains the ordering and delivery system for the reusable packaging to retail outlets, as well as the collection of all returned items from the collection points.
TOMRA, or a designated partner, is responsible for the sanitization and quality assurance of all the reusable packaging used in the system.
Each package in the system has a unique digital code that is activated for the financial return incentive when it is delivered to retailers. This is the basis of our open managed system (OMS) for reusable packaging -- the possibility for different packaging providers to use the same shared infrastructure for collecting the reusable packaging as long as the packaging has a unique id and the physical properties of the packaging comply with our system requirements.
A circulation fee is added to each packaging item when it is ordered by retailers to offset the system costs associated with the solution.
