Reusable, returnable packaging for e-commerce

Project Information

RePack

Grant agreement ID: 671852

DOI

10.3030/671852

Project closed

EC signature date 27 April 2015

Start date 1 May 2015

End date 31 October 2015

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

ORIGINAL REPACK OY
Finland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RePack (Reusable, returnable packaging for e-commerce)

Reporting period: 2015-05-01 to 2015-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The objective of our proposed innovation project is to introduce more sustainable and intelligent packaging and delivery processes across ecommerce supply chain in the EU and also globally in the future.

The main specific objective of the feasibility study is to pilot RePack in other EU markets. This pilot is used to gather consumer and webstore feedback to identify benefits and analyse bottlenecks in the e-commerce value chain in EU markets.

Our current analysis is that the main bottleneck is lack of awareness regarding our innovation outside Finland, limited sales channels, lack of e-commerce contacts and long sales and project cycles. This is especially related to fashion ecommerce. We want try and remove some of these bottlenecks, further investigate others, increase awareness of our solution and accelerate Repack adoption cycles.

By executing the project we will significantly contribute to resource efficiency, sustainable logistics and to development of circular economy in the domain of commerce.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Work was completed by a small team and hired consultants in targeted markets, mainly Sweden, Netherlands and France.

Before the project we had five customers in Finnish clothing segment and two using furniture RePack. Biggest client was Varusteleka.fi midsized European webstore shipping around 100 000 deliveries annually. Beginning of the project we had about 100 daily deliveries.We identified potential partners and client, approached webstores and brands outside the Finnish market and discussed our offering with them.

At the end of the project we had
- 15 webstores in Finland
- Letters of intent with two global brands for operations in 2016
- 20 ongoing negotiations in proposal phase
- 500+ daily deliveries
- Decision to discontinue furniture RePack,
- New packaging segments tested in telecoms and pharmacy
- Sales pipeline of over 2 million euros
- Two sales agents in EU markets and operational capacity
- Suppliers and logistics companies to handle tens of thousands RePack deliveries on a monthly basis

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Operations to be launched in several EU countries in 2016. Localisation with local teams in 2017. Estimated need in 2017 is three teams with personnel of 3 in each, totalling nine new hires.

Already hundreds of kilos of packaging trash has been avoided. In 2016 our expected volumes are close to 100 000 uses resulting in reduction of thousands of kilos of packaging waste.

In 2016tTens of thousands of e-commerce shoppers introduced to a reusable packaging service, giving them a small nudge towards more sustainable lifestyle.

RePack reusable packaging Frenn

RePack reusable packaging service