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Walmart steps up reusable plastic container packaging for fresh produce

Pact with IFCO aids retail giant’s efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions

Russell Redman

February 8, 2021

3 Min Read
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Under the seven-year deal, Walmart suppliers will deliver their produce to Walmart locations using IFCO RPCs.IFCO Systems

Walmart has entered a multiyear pact to package fresh produce in reusable plastic containers (RPCs) from IFCO Systems.

Tampa, Fla.-based IFCO said Monday that, under the seven-year deal, Walmart suppliers will deliver their produce to Walmart locations using IFCO RPCs. Each RPC will be retrieved after each use and then cleaned, washed, sanitized and wrapped before being reused. The RPCs can be used up to 100 times before being reground into new RPCs.

The new agreement makes IFCO Walmart’s exclusive RPC packaging provider for selected fresh fruits and vegetables distributed in the United States. IFCO noted that deal builds on a collaboration with Walmart since 1998, when the companies partnered to introduce reusable packaging in the U.S.

“Walmart is committed to providing its shoppers with high-quality, safe, nutritious and affordable fresh food produced sustainably,” Martin Mundo, senior vice president for produce and global produce sourcing at Walmart. “Our new agreement with IFCO helps us deliver on that promise by creating a fresh food supply chain that is more efficient and more sustainable from beginning to end.”

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IFCO's reusable packaging is expected to bring 'significant increases' in product shelf life and food waste reduction at Walmart. (IFCO)

Related:Albertsons joins Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag

 

Along with the creation of U.S.-based manufacturing jobs for RPC production and processing, the program will drive improvements across the fresh food supply chain, according to IFCO. That includes efficiencies from standardization and modularity plus “significant increases” in product shelf life and food waste reduction, the company said.

In addition, the RPC program stands to bring innovations in RPC tracking technology. IFCO said it has added features to its RPC pool that will sharpen the visibility of assets in the Walmart network and spur future innovations in product traceability.

“IFCO and Walmart share the goal of an efficient, sustainable fresh food supply chain that helps nourish millions of Americans and billions of consumers worldwide,” stated Dan Martin, outgoing president of IFCO North America. “This agreement is a win for IFCO, a win for Walmart, a win for the environment and a win for millions of grocery shoppers across America.”

IFCO added that its RPCs will contribute to Walmart’s Project Gigaton goal to cut 1 gigaton of greenhouse gas emissions from its supply chain by 2030. Once fully implemented, the use of IFCO RPCs is expected to help the retail giant to annually avoid an estimated 70,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions (equivalent to removing over 16,000 cars from the road), 40 million kilograms of solid waste (equivalent to the amount of waste created by 19 million people), 1 billion kilowatt hours of energy use (equivalent to powering 2.5 million light bulbs), 1 million cubic meters of water consumption (equivalent to the water use of more than 34 million individual showers) and 7 million kilograms of product damage (equivalent to the amount of food for over 11 million individual meals each year), according to IFCO.

Related:UNFI’s Better for All initiative sets 10-year targets in waste reduction, climate action and food access

Worldwide, IFCO provides reusable packaging solutions for fresh food in more than 50 countries. The company operates a global pool of over 314 million RPCs, used for over 1.7 billion shipments of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, bread, and other items from suppliers to grocery retailers annually.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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