Joint efforts for circular food packaging. How focal firms find and set-up collaborations for reusable and recyclable food packaging.

Abstract

Globally, 40% of plastics are converted into packaging, of which half is food packaging (Rhim et al., 2013). After a short first-use cycle, it is estimated that 95% of plastic packaging material value is lost annually to the economy, while 32% escapes collection systems and accumulates in the natural environment (EMF, 2017a). As a solution, food packaging in a Circular Economy (CE) aims to cycle material and energy flows, most frequently via recycling or reuse. For this, focal food firms must introduce new circular business models challenging the traditional make-use-dispose thinking. Although firms and policy are increasingly addressing circular food packaging, its implementation remains limited. This is attributable to a high degree of cross-chain collaboration required. Literature on collaboration in a CE, however, is scarce and provides little guidance on how to build successful circular partnerships. Therefore, this research aims at analysing the collaboration set-up and partner selection for reusable and recyclable primary retail food packaging. Due to limited insights in this area, an explorative research was followed, whilst incorporating descriptive elements to deliver empirical evidence. In line with abductive theory modification, a preliminary theoretical framework was refined. For this, 17 semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with food producers, brands, retailers, reuse system providers, and circular food packaging experts (selected based on a three-step purposive sampling). The transcripts were coded and analysed via thematic analysis. The results unveil that food companies engage in four types of collaboration, which is largely depended on the development stage of the reusable/recycling system. Extending and slightly amending existing literature, the collaboration set-up process typically follows nine steps. Moreover, alongside four generic partner characteristics as selection criteria, five CE-specific ones are identified: ‘commitment’, ‘open communication’, ‘goals alignment’, ‘strategic fit’, and ‘creativeness/open mindedness’. Furthermore, even though food companies necessarily require collaborations, the type of partners they seek differ based on the type of project, position in the supply chain, location of operations, food type packaged, and company size. Lastly, 14 partner roles are identified, which are either assigned to three project phases (starting, developing, realising) or two orientations (collaboration, outward-world). A number of these roles are found to be of particular importance for either circular, reusable, or recyclable food packaging. The findings of this research can guide food companies when identifying and establishing successful collaborations for circular food packaging. Other CE fields, geographies, key stakeholders, and the collaboration set-up steps in isolation call for further exploration.