Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumSafeway Expands Reusable Shipping Containers for Produce
In a move that is estimated to eliminate over 17 million pounds of corrugated cardboard shipping boxes, Safeway Inc. has transitioned to using reusable product containers (RPCs) to ship many types of produce from the farm fields through the distribution channel and to final store destinations.
Safeway, which has introduced a broad range of successful sustainability practices across its operations, has used RPCs for decades on many of its consumer brand categories, including bread, milk and soda. The company began testing RPCs in its distribution system for fresh wet-pack produce fruits and vegetables kept on ice until they reach the store in early 2010.
Making the transition for produce, which continued throughout 2011, was a more complicated process than for other products because of the requirements the shift placed on the Pleasanton, Calif.-based retailers distributors and grower partners.
The company's major supplier, IFCO Systems, says Safeway's implementation of RPCs was the fastest and most aggressive program roll-out of its kind to date.
Explained Tom Nartker, Safeways VP of transportation: "This expansion into produce is a natural extension of best practices in logistics. Safeway will continue to look for opportunities to expand the usage of RPCs into additional categories to have an even greater positive environmental impact."
http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/fresh-food/id35622/safeway-expands-reusable-shipping-containers-for-produce/
eppur_se_muova
(36,227 posts)just1voice
(1,362 posts)Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)I am no fan of Safeway, but I thought that this individual point on energy & environmental issues might be a good thing.
XemaSab
(60,212 posts)She was studying how they can change their packaging so that they have less waste to deal with at their stores.
We both agree that WalMart is from hell, but they're not likely to go out of business tomorrow so they may as well be as "eco-friendly" as they can be.
Think of it this way: if Joe down at the farmer's market figures out a way to cut back 1% on the amount of waste he generates, that might be two cardboard boxes a week. If WalMart or Safeway figure out a way to cut back 1% on the amount of waste they generate, then that's going to send massive ripples up and down the supply chain.