Biedronka is joining forces with Mondi in a closed-loop programme to supply, collect, and reproduce its corrugated packaging in line with the retailer’s plastic consumption and CO2 emission targets.
As the partners explained in a joint webinar, the programme involves waste paper being processed at a paper mill in Świecie. The resultant paper is then delivered to one of Mondi’s six Polish factories, where it is turned into corrugated cardboard packaging, e.g. fruit and vegetable crates.
Biedronka’s suppliers use this packaging to pack their products and transport them to logistics centres, and from there, to stores. This corrugated cardboard is left on the shelf as consumers buy products in their individual packs.
Once empty, the cardboard is returned to Biedronka’s distribution centres, where Mondi collects it and returns it to the Świecie mill for the process to begin again.
The partners hope that this programme will uplift such sustainability initiatives as zero waste while complying with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and other regulatory developments in the EU.
Additionally, Biedronka’s sustainability roadmap includes targets to reduce plastic consumption by 10% by 2025 against a 2018 baseline, and to lower CO2 emissions by 10% by 2026 from a 2021 baseline.
“Creating a truly circular economy for corrugated packaging in the retail industry is a collective effort,” says Mateusz Buchowiecki, key account manager in Mondi’s Corrugated Solutions team in Poland. “Mondi is proud to partner with Biedronka to lead this transformative initiative.
“By working closely with our partners throughout the value chain, we are setting a new standard for sustainability that not only complies with EU regulations but also paves the way for scalable solutions across Europe. This partnership demonstrates our shared commitment to environmental stewardship and innovation in sustainable practices.”
“At Biedronka, sustainability is a key priority and our collaboration with Mondi marks a major milestone in our environmental journey,” adds Agnieszka Koc, sustainability and ESC director at Biedronka. “This closed-loop programme allows us to strategically adjust our use of virgin material and enhance our recycling efforts.”
The news comes after Albert Heijn, Aldi, Carrefour, Colruyt, Delhaize, and Lidl announced they would pilot reusable mushroom packaging in collaboration with the Reusable Packaging Coalition – a move intended to anticipate the upcoming ban on single-use plastic for lightweight fruit and vegetables in Europe.
Citeo will also test a reusable packaging system in large food retailers this summer, with the eventual goal of implementing the system throughout France and making reuse accessible to 16 million consumers. If it is successful, full implementation is scheduled for 2026.
In the construction industry, Mondi has co-founded Paper Sacks Go Circular Spain, a twelve-company alliance focused on improving the circularity of used paper bags in the Spanish construction industry. Among other goals, it aims to raise recycling rates and keep fresh fibres in circulation.
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