Reusable and Refillable is coming faster than you think – operations and data will be key

As PPWR introduces recycled content and reuse targets, success will depend not just on better packaging, but on the data, systems, and operational discipline needed to run reuse at scale.

Connor Bryant, Managing Director of reusable packaging specialist Rubbish Ideas Ltd, helps brands and venues deploy reusable packaging systems, and Darren West is Global Head of Circular Economy at SAP, and works with global companies on packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees and compliance with the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Their shared view is that reusable packaging is moving rapidly from sustainability initiative to business imperative, and the key to success is having the right data and operational processes.

The shift to reusable is already happening

Connor notes: “From my work at Rubbish Ideas, I have seen this transition happening first-hand. Reuse is often talked about as a packaging innovation, but in practice it is much more than that. It is a system change.”

He has worked with organisations moving from virgin single-use packaging, to recycled packaging, to closed-loop recycling, and now into reusable packaging systems. In some cases, that journey has happened in just five or six years. That pace of change matters, because it shows that refill and reuse are not abstract future concepts. They are already being tested, adopted and scaled in real commercial environments.

Closed-loop recycling was a step towards reuse

One of the clearest early examples was Connor’s work with international single-use packaging manufacturer Huhtamaki and some of its major customers, including AB InBev, on closed-loop recycling of disposable PET packaging.

This was not reuse in the strictest sense, but it was an important step on the road towards it. For the first time, the suppliers of the packaging were directly connected to the end of life of their own product. They were no longer simply placing packaging onto the market and hoping it was recycled. They were helping to build and manage an end-to-end service loop.

That changed everything. It meant more data, more operational complexity, and a longer supply chain to manage. Connor and his team built the closed-loop recycling supply chain, worked with consumer locations such as major events to capture cups effectively, and measured the whole system through a solution called “The Rubbish Portal”.

It also highlighted something that remains critical for reuse today: consumers need to be supported to return packaging properly. Without that, recovery rates fall and the system starts to break down.

The same operational challenges appear in reuse

Although closed-loop recycling and reuse are different models, they share many of the same traits. Both require collection, sorting, logistics, supplier coordination, consumer engagement and solid data.

That is why it is not surprising that many of the events Connor worked with on closed-loop recycling back in 2021 have since moved further along that journey into reuse. These are businesses moving from virgin single-use packaging going to landfill, to recycled packaging, to closed-loop recycling, and now to reusable packaging. The model changes, but the core challenge remains the same: how do you build a system that works in the real world, not just on paper?

Festivals have led the way

Festivals have been one of the first large-scale commercial environments to embrace reuse at scale. Connor has worked with major festivals that have replaced some, and in some cases most, of their packaging with reusable alternatives.

At Cruïlla Festival in Barcelona in 2025, for example, reusable cups were used for all drinks, and the event aimed for 90% of all meals to be served on reusable food packaging across a 30,000-person multi-day event. The reuse system worked very well, with high return rates and a major reduction in litter, despite the venue being tightly packed.

Cruïlla also measured the performance of its reuse system through The Rubbish Portal, including use, return and loss rates, as well as carbon impacts. That sat alongside wider event impact data covering waste, food, travel, materials and more.

This is important because it moves the conversation beyond intention. It allows an organiser to see how effectively the system is working, where it is delivering value, and where there is still room to improve. In other words, data is essential to a working re-use system.

Reusable does not automatically mean sustainable

But reuse has not always been done well. In the early years, many event promoters adopted reusable cups not primarily for environmental reasons, but as promotional souvenirs. Branded cups, often printed with dates and artwork, were designed to be taken home.

That was good business for reusable cup suppliers, but often poor environmental practice. A reusable cup can have several times the environmental impact of a disposable cup at the point of production. If it is taken home after one use and never returned to the event system, then in practical terms it becomes a high-impact single-use item.

Fortunately, parts of the industry recognised this early. Shambala Festival, widely regarded as one of the most sustainable festivals in the UK and beyond, set out to use reusables properly: unbranded, not designed as souvenirs, and supported by a system focused on getting them back, washed and used again. That approach has increasingly become the norm for events making the switch for environmental reasons. It is also becoming an economic necessity. Continually replacing lost reusable cups is expensive. And accurate operational tracking ensures that you are not letting money walk away.

The challenge is getting the packaging back

The same pattern is now emerging beyond festivals. Rubbish Ideas have worked with large venues including sports stadiums, office buildings, holiday parks, airports and others, all moving towards reusable packaging to replace single-use food service packaging and eliminate that waste stream. Stadiums in particular have made real progress, with reusable cups increasingly becoming the norm at major clubs and across the leagues.

But as reuse has scaled across events, large venues and city-wide schemes, one persistent challenge has become impossible to ignore: getting the packaging back. Low return rates create two problems. Financially, the operator must replace lost cups, bowls or containers, which adds real cost to the system. Environmentally, low return rates can undermine or even remove the benefits of reuse.

If a reusable item is not returned, another one has to be made. That means more material, more energy and more emissions, which then need to be offset through repeated use. In many cases, reusable packaging needs to be used at least ten times to deliver a clear benefit, which means return rates of around 90% should be seen as a minimum. For many operators, that has been difficult to achieve.

Why Rubbish Reusables

“That is one of the reasons we launched Rubbish Reusables in 2023,” says Connor. “We saw two major challenges holding the reuse industry back. The first was material circularity. Reusables are still largely made from virgin materials, and many are not recycled at end of life. That makes their lifecycle look less like a circular loop and more like a linear corkscrew. The second was return behaviour. Reusables are only reusable if you get them back. Low return rates undermine the model, and many existing systems are still inconvenient for consumers.”

To address the first challenge, Rubbish Ideas worked with the industry leading recycling experts at Nextek to push forward the development of food-grade recycled polypropylene that can be used in reusable packaging. That has enabled Connor’s team to produce 100% recycled PP cups and food service packaging, now launching to market. To address the second challenge, Connor partnered with a payment systems technology company to launch a smart reusable packaging system using RFID-tagged cups and containers. The goal is simple: make reuse as easy as single use.

Customers pay a deposit, return the packaging easily, and receive the deposit back. The packaging can be returned anywhere in the system, not just where it was purchased. The perfect combination of technology and convenience.

Connor has deployed this system in venues and are now running a city-wide scheme in Sheffield with more than 15 independent coffee shops using the system. That creates the foundation for wider city-wide adoption across quick-service food and drink, where packaging can move between locations while the deposit still follows the customer.

“For us, the target is a minimum 90% return rate, with the ambition to push deployments above 95%. That is where reuse starts to work properly: operationally, financially and environmentally,” says Connor.

The lesson from the real world

The lesson from all of this is clear. Reuse is not just about choosing a different cup, bowl or container. It requires infrastructure, consumer participation, supplier coordination, financial incentives and reliable data. Without those things, reuse can easily become another well-intentioned pilot. With them, it becomes a scalable operating model. And that is why data becomes so important.

The elephant in the room: reuse is no longer optional

Darren West adds: “At SAP, many of our clients are just getting to grips with PPWR, and of course we have software solutions – such as SAP Responsible Design and Production – built to handle the complexity of PPWR compliance, EPR and plastic tax calculations, and helping our customers to manage more sustainable packaging. However, PPWR will force many companies to rethink packaging altogether. Recycled content targets alone will be difficult to meet as demand for high-quality recycled material outstrips supply. At the same time, PPWR introduces mandatory reuse targets for selected sectors. For many businesses, the question is no longer whether to adopt reusable packaging, but how to operate it at scale. That requires good, granular data, and the right processes.”

SAP Responsible Design and Production helps companies model costs, track return rates, and compare reuse, recycling and single-use options using the same core data that drives finance and operations.

The future of packaging

Reusable packaging is no longer a niche sustainability initiative. It is becoming a core business capability. Companies that combine smart packaging design with robust data and operational discipline – hitting the right choices of single use and reusable/refillable options - will be best placed to reduce cost, secure materials, comply with PPWR, and turn circularity into a competitive advantage.