New Change(K)now! report analyses 56 reusable packaging replication cases in eight countries

Over the past three years, Change(K)now! has tested and promoted reusable food and beverage packaging solutions, implementing 25 original pilot initiatives in a range of local and organisational settings. The project’s ambition, however, extends beyond these pilots. A new report now looks at how other organisations and communities have built on the solutions, experiences and lessons developed through the project.

The report examines 56 documented replication cases across eight countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. The cases cover strategic initiatives, institutional settings, events and takeaway services, at stages ranging from exploration and planning to practical implementation. Many were supported through peer reviews, training, webinars and cross-border knowledge exchange among project partners.

Of the 56 cases, 41 have reached practical implementation, while 11 are in planning and four are being explored. Replication also extends beyond the original project partnership: 27 cases involve external organisations, alongside 17 internal and 12 cross-partner replications.

The cases range from large festivals and sports events to school canteens, cafés, weekly markets and municipal strategies. At Copenhagen Zoo, more than 30,000 reusable cups were put into circulation in the first month alone, building on the city’s established reuse infrastructure. In Hamburg, food vendor SURI Signature expanded reusable takeaway from two pilot sites to more than eleven weekly markets. The report also documents cases where replication did not lead to adoption, such as at Hamburg’s Goldbekmarkt, where a food vendor decided to continue with single-use packaging despite several consultations and on-site visits, as these experiences reveal important barriers and opportunities for improvement.

Using the concepts of Scaling Out, Scaling Up and Scaling Deep as an analytical framework, the report explores how reusable packaging solutions have been transferred and adapted, which practical, organisational and institutional conditions have enabled or hindered implementation, and what lessons can inform future replication.

Five key lessons emerge:

1. Local adaptation is essential. Reuse systems must fit existing infrastructure, business operations, financing and user needs.
2. Convenience drives participation. Simple return arrangements, accessible payment systems and manageable workloads are critical for users and operators.
3. Operational viability enables continuity. Collection, washing, logistics and financing must remain practical beyond initial implementation.
4. Institutional support can enable wider adoption. Municipal coordination, procurement and shared infrastructure can reduce barriers when responsibilities are clear.
5. Adoption requires engagement and learning. Introducing reusable packaging does not guarantee repeated use.

A key message of the report is that replication alone is not evidence of success. It distinguishes between introducing a solution, achieving practical adoption and establishing lasting change, and identifies what it takes for reusable packaging systems to work in different settings and to be adopted more widely over time.

The report is intended for municipalities, organisations, event organisers, food service providers and anyone working to make reuse a lasting part of food and beverage systems.

Read the full report here. 

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