Reuse
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Reusable packaging for fresh produce: first large-scale test in Mechelen

 

Since the week of 20 April 2026, residents of Mechelen can buy their mushrooms in a reusable tray, return it to any participating store and get their 30-cent deposit back. Behind this simple gesture lies an ambitious project: REPASYS, Belgium's first pilot to test reusable packaging for fresh food products at scale. 

Six competing retail chains — Albert Heijn, Aldi, Carrefour, Colruyt, Delhaize and Lidl — are participating jointly, alongside some fifteen partners covering the entire chain, from production to logistics. Fost Plus is one of them, and this project goes to the heart of our mission.
 

A real-world pilot 

Each tray is individually tracked via a GS1-standard QR code, enabling objective measurement of return rates, consumption habits and the logistical efficiency of the chain — valuable data to understand what works, and to identify the conditions for a potential expansion to other products and regions. Between uses, trays are industrially cleaned before being put back into circulation. 

What makes REPASYS interesting for us is the combination of the project's ambition and the simplicity of the system. A uniform tray, a clear deposit, return possible at any participating store: these are exactly the conditions that help remove the barriers to reuse. The data we collect will help us advise our members on what works and what doesn't — and on the conditions needed to go further.
Elke Gijsbrechts, Senior Sustainable Packaging Expert at Fost Plus

Fost Plus: a commitment rooted in European regulation

Fost Plus has been supporting companies in the sustainable management of their packaging since 1994. This work is embedded in a demanding regulatory context: by 2030, the European PPWR regulation bans single-use plastic packaging for fresh fruit and vegetables — a concrete deadline that gives a project like REPASYS its full meaning. The lessons from this pilot will directly feed into our expertise and advice to members engaging in this transition. A real-world laboratory at the service of the entire chain.