Avoiding, reducing, and improving packaging

Strategy for reducing packaging waste

Packaging has an important role to play in keeping food fresh and maintaining its quality. Once removed, however, it quickly ends up in the bin, or the environment. What’s more, packaging manufacture has a number of adverse ecological effects. This is why we at REWE Group have set ourselves the target of making all packaging for our private-label products more environmentally friendly by the end of 2030. We have introduced a very straightforward strategy: avoid, reduce, improve. We aim to avoid excessive packaging or, if that is not possible, to reduce essential packaging or redesign it using more environmentally friendly materials.

More environmentally friendly private-label packaging

The REWE Group aims to make 100 percent of its private-label packaging more environmentally friendly by the end of 2030.

Our goals

The REWE Group aims to make 100 percent of its private-label packaging more environmentally friendly by the end of 2030.

20 % less plastic in the sales and service packaging of REWE and PENNY private-label products in Germany by the end of 2025
100 % recycled plastic sales and service packaging at REWE and PENNY in Germany by the end of 2025
100 % certified paper packaging by the end of 2020 at REWE and PENNY in Germany
100 % of PET packaging for washing and cleaning products to be made from 100% recycled materials, including at least 20% recycled materials from household waste, by the end of 2021 at REWE and PENNY in Germany
50 % recycled material on average throughout all disposable bottles of our private-label products by the end of 2023

REWE delivery service saves 40 million paper bags

The REWE delivery service is now using reusable bags to deliver its products. Having already been tested in some model regions, they are now being rolled out nationwide. Thanks to the changeover, the REWE delivery service saves 40 million paper bags a year.
- To press release
Recycled PET: one closed loop, many winners

Increasing the amount of recycled material in PET drinks bottles really shouldn’t be a problem. After all, more than 90 percent of all used bottles are collected in Germany. And yet over half of the rPET obtained from them is used outside the beverage industry Here at the REWE Group, we have trialled a closed-loop cycle for disposable drinks bottles. Our first circular economy project creates security of supply for suppliers and helps us achieve our recycled material targets.
- To story
REWE waives at additional plastic lids

REWE is doing away with the additional plastic lid on all 500-gram cups of natural yoghurt and on all 500-gram cups of soy yoghurt of the private labels “ja!” and “REWE Beste Wahl”. With this decision, REWE saves more than 69 tonnes of plastic waste annually.
Reusable buckets for cut flowers

PENNY will be the first supermarket in Germany to introduce a uniform IFCO reusable bucket for its cut flower range from 2023. The changeover will save up to 140 tonnes of plastic per year.
Cucumbers without plastic wrap

By changing their transport processes, REWE and PENNY are now able to offer both organic and conventional cucumbers without plastic wrap all year round, saving up to 170 tonnes of plastic per year.
Unpackaged bananas
Since 2017, REWE and PENNY have only sold bananas without packaging, saving more than 210 tonnes of plastic per year. Information about the product can be found on labels and banderoles.
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Goodbye plastic bags

In summer 2016, REWE stopped giving out plastic carrier bags at all of its supermarkets; an example that was soon followed by Penny, toom Baumarkt and DER Touristik. At REWE Group we are thereby saving more than 202 million bags every year. Instead, our supermarkets and stores offer alternative reusable carrier bags, jute bags and cardboard boxes.
No packaging for organic fruit and vegetables

REWE is the first of the four largest food retailers in Germany to offer organic fruit and vegetables almost entirely without plastic or with improved packaging at more than 3,600 supermarkets. This helps us to save 210 tonnes of plastic and 80 tonnes of paper every year. PENNY is also switching its organic fruit and vegetables to plastic-free packaging or zero packaging where possible, which, in the long term, will allow savings of up to 50 tonnes of plastic every year.