Sykell has expanded its Einfach Mehrweg reuse system for takeaway containers to include prefilled packaging, hoping to scale up reuse operations for pre-packaged food.
Launched in 2023, Einfach Mehrweg is an automated open reuse system. It has been introduced to German supermarkets such as REWE, Nahkauf, and HIT, with one Einfach Mehrweg container thought to generate an average of 91% less waste during a 50-use life cycle than 50 single-use packages.
The software traces assets across the supply chain to automate circular operation workflows, including inventory and deposit management. The standard Einfach Mehrweg cleaning infrastructure has now been adapted for the Einfach Mehrweg Prefill expansion.
Described as the ‘world’s first’ reusable primary plastic packaging for pre-packaged foods in various categories, the prefills – which come in 500 ml and 1500 ml variants – can be returned to reverse vending machines at 6,000 return points located across Germany.
Reportedly, the containers can be used across product categories; these include snacks, dairy and substitute products, pre-packaged salads, and microwave meals. Each uses Ultrahigh Barrier and Re-Sealable packaging technologies to avoid impacts on taste, smell, and colour.
The containers are also designed for compatibility with Sykell’s own Circular ERP pool management platform.
Einfach Mehrweg Prefill is set to help food manufacturers ‘exceed the requirements’ of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.
In other countries, especially those where deposit return systems do not exist, Sykell plans to work with those responsible for reuse systems to find an alternative solution.
“Reusable systems are the answer to the massive loss of resources caused by single-use plastics in the food sector,” says Davide Mazzanti, CEO and co-founder of Sykell. “Due to the high volume of plastic and packaging waste, the European Packaging Regulation (PPWR) requires brands to ensure that their packaging contains at least 10% recycled content from 2030 onwards.
“This is a real challenge, as the use of recycled materials – with the exception of the single-use deposit process for PET beverage bottles – has so far been difficult and, above all, not scalable in terms of ensuring food safety.
“This is exactly where we come in with Sykell PREFILL, establishing a new standard for the reuse of food packaging, including mono-material recycling at the end of the container’s life. This enables all players within a reusable packaging system such as Einfach Mehrweg in Germany, to transfer the maximum amount of packaging from the downcycling spiral into a genuine closed-loop cycle with predictable effort.”
Sykell’s Prefill solution will be showcase at this year’s Biofach trade fair in Nuremberg (10th – 13th February 2026).
The news comes as Unilever, Procter & Gamble, and L’Oréal enter into a a city-scale reuse initiative run by Reposit and the Consumer Goods Forum’s Plastic Waste Coalition. Reposit will oversee the shared return points, reverse logistics, professional washing infrastructure, integrated data systems, and standardized return messaging in both English and French.
A major retail chain has also adopted Returnity’s reusable packaging solution, The Last Box. The transition is hoped to streamline backroom operations and cut down on single-use waste.
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