Circulayo, a UK-based sustainable technology company that has recently joined AIPIA, has a mission to reduce single-use waste by making reusable packaging convenient for consumers, commercially beneficial for businesses, and scalable for the planet through a digital, smart technology platform.
This platform digitises reusable packaging with QR codes, NFC, etc., and makes it into Smart Packaging. It enables tracking of the packages throughout the supply chain, from cradle to grave, according to the company.
It launched the Flow platform in 2021 and says it has already saved over 550kg of single-use plastic waste from oceans, or landfill, over 25k transactions. With the support of the local City Council in Derby, a city in mid -England, as well as local businesses, Circulayo is working towards a single-use plastic-free Derby.
The platform is currently used to track reusable food packaging in the city, whilst ensuring that the packaging is not overstocked. To provide a full stack Reusable as a Service (RaaS), it has set up a wash facility called the “Circulayo Flow Centre” in the town. This wash facility demonstrates and showcases the full loop trackability provided by the platform.
There are several RaaS companies in existence that are struggling to scale up because they are creating their own infrastructure, such as mobile apps, specific return bins, and waste/reusable collection logistics, the company claims. Circulayo does not want to create a new infrastructure; the platform links with the existing infrastructure.
The RaaS model can be replicated in other cities to effectively replace single-use plastic packaging with reusable packaging powered by the flow platform, which acts as a ‘glue’ that connects all the stakeholders or touch points in the reusable packaging supply chain, it says.
The flow platform is not limited to reusable food packaging, it can track reusable packaging in different industries. This includes, but is not limited to, the Brewing Industry, Fashion Industry, etc.
It also works with packaging manufacturers, suppliers, bin manufacturers and waste management companies to demonstrate how a combined approach, with the company’s tech platform, will defeat the use of single-use plastics and increase reusable packaging adoption.
The platform can be used by reusable packaging suppliers to track and manage their packaging for clients. Once it has enabled the packaging, the technology can become a medium to communicate and reward customers for using these products. Circulayo also provides a detailed impact report about the savings of single-use plastic, carbon, water, etc.
In addition to tracking the packaging the Flow platform, turns it into a content platform called Circulayo AppNostic where the customers can interact with the packaging by scanning the QR code on their smartphone, without installing an App. When the packaging is scanned, the consumer will be able to see information, including how many times the packaging has been reused and how much plastic has been saved. In addition, clients can use AppNostic to drive their message to customers.
For a full update on active and intelligent packaging, come along to the AIPIA World Congress (co-organized by Packaging Europe) in Amsterdam on 14-15 November. The only smart packaging event covering the entire technology spectrum, the World Congress is a meeting place for the global active and intelligent packaging industry where brand owners, innovators, and other stakeholders can network and see and discuss the latest trends and innovations. Register to attend here: https://packagingeurope.com/aipia-world-congress/tickets
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