The unpackaged sector continues to grow, according to the Unpackaged Association. The Unverpackt 2.0 project in collaboration with the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development is now investigating how its packaging vision 2025 can be realised in practice.
This year's digital Annual General Meeting of the Unverpackt Association showed that the unpackaged trend continued despite the difficult situation for the retail sector in 2020. 70 unpackaged shops. There are currently 380 unpackaged shops listed in the association, and 266 more are currently being planned. Gregor Witt, Chairman of Unverpackt e.V., is convinced that the concept of the unpackaged shop is now being accepted by large sections of society: „We are getting bigger and bigger. Not only as an association, but also as a movement and as an economic player.“
As expected, the Annual General Meeting adopted a Greater political commitment for the avoidance of packaging waste. It must create a comprehensive framework for the unpackaged sector and for „waste-free shopping“ in general, not only on the shop floor but also behind the scenes.
Packaging vision 2025
This requirement is already being implemented within the association. Its Packaging vision 2025 sums up what many unpackaged shops are already practising: For example, by 2025 at the latest Disposable sales packaging plastic and unnecessary packaging should be avoided. Models for the reuse of packaging should always replace disposable packaging if reuse is ecologically more favourable. The association has also resolved to only use packaging that is completely reusable, recyclable or compostable.are.
Project Unpacked 2.0
The concrete implementation of the Packaging Vision 2025 is now to be joint research project with the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE). The project Unpacked 2.0 is intended to professionalise and improve the procurement of unpackaged food shops through jointly developed standards. This can take place in the areas of reusable systems, hygiene and processes. With the help of the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU), which is supporting the project with almost 300,000 euros, the Packaging-reduced purchasing through Standardisation of practical solutions be promoted.
The research project started on 1 April 2021 and is intended to investigate the potential and challenges of unpackaged shops in Germany over a period of 30 months as part of a qualitative study and analyse them with regard to their implications for sustainable consumption. Project Unpackaged 2.0 started with the following assumption: „Unpackaged shopping harbours great potential for the ecological transformation of food retail processes.“
[infotext icon] Unverpackt e.V. - Verband der Unverpackt-Läden is the professional association of unpackaged shops in Germany and the German-speaking EU. It was founded on 21 April 2018 in Nuremberg. Around 200 members and supporting members took part in the 2021 Annual General Meeting. [/infotext]Source: Unverpackt e.V.
