Evaluation of the Reuse of Packaging in the Food Supply Chain

Fresh fruits and vegetables are a special group of products in need of special treatment, due to their sensitivity to external factors such as microorganisms, moisture, etc., as well as, their movement and storage across the supply chain. As consumer needs and requirements are constantly growing, a number of new practices in packaging have been introduced to cater for the proper transport and storage of fruit and vegetables. An important role in this field is represented by reusable boxes/containers which offer, in addition to safe transportation and storage, space saving, less damage, more stable stacking, etc. while facilitating and supporting the deployment of green and sustainable supply chain practices and technologies. The purpose of this paper is to present and analyze the movement of fresh fruit and vegetables using reusable containers in a Greek retail chain. The methodology included the collection of information from electronic databases, from publications on the subject under consideration and from direct contact with executives of large retail chains. The results demonstrate both the importance of packaging to maintain the freshness of fresh fruits and vegetables and the importance of recycling.