In implementing our circular economy strategy for REWE and PENNY in Germany and toom Baumarkt DIY stores, we rely on the three principles of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
We drive innovative solutions and standardisation for the circular economy and packaging with our own initiatives and partners, such as NABU, the GS1 standard development network, the Recyclate-Initiative, and the global Consumer Goods Forum industry network.
We rely on reusable solutions and were the first food retailers in Germany to introduce an open, scalable system for reusable to-go packaging at REWE and Lekkerland. “Einfach Mehrweg” (simply reusable) uses the return structures such as deposit machines and has been awarded the Blauer Engel (Blue Angel) Award, the ECR Sustainability Award 2023 and the German Sustainability Award Products 2025.
We save on packaging materials, dispense with packaging components (such as plastic lids) and rely on reusable solutions. We are increasing the average recyclate content in packaging in various product ranges – for example, in drinks (see successes), drugstores and paint buckets at toom Baumarkt DIY stores.
We test packaging-free options: In 2023 and 2024, for example, REWE in Germany piloted refill stations for dry goods such as rice and cereals from REWE Bio. BILLA in Austria has also been testing refill stations with over 100 unpackaged organic products in two stores since 2022.
Reusable packaging needs politics
Reusable packaging has the potential to change the packaging world in Germany and significantly reduce resource consumption and the climate impact of packaging. We support political projects to promote reusable alternatives so that reusable packaging becomes a genuine substitute for disposable packaging and a turnaround can be felt across the industry. As prerequisites are required, we set out what they could be in a position paper together with NABU in 2023. For example, the standardisation of reusable containers and pool reusable systems could be used to further develop ecologically beneficial, customer-friendly reusable systems that can be implemented in retail.
In the packaging area, the focus is on reusable and unpackaged products.
785424
At PENNY in Germany, we are the only food retailer to date to use reusable instead of disposable crates for our Bio-Helden bananas. At toom Baumarkt DIY store, we are increasingly using reusable pallets instead of disposable plant pallets. In 2024, 785,424 disposable pallets were replaced by their use in the plant sector.
Since April 2020, REWE has been selling organic fruit and vegetables nationwide without plastic or with improved packaging wherever possible. Since 2021, REWE Group in Austria has been offering all of its fruit and vegetables from its private label “Ja! Natürlich” and “Echt B!O” (Truly Organic) without packaging, loose or with improved packaging. We also constantly review the use of raw materials and our product and process design in order to save materials and close loops.
We have achieved our target of using 20 per cent less plastic in private label packaging by 2025 compared to 2015 ahead of schedule. In 2024, we were at -22.3 per cent (2023: -21.8 per cent).
40 million
Delivery in reusable deposit bags
Since June 2024, REWE's purchases in Germany will no longer be delivered to customers in paper bags, but in reusable deposit bags that, apart from the handles and the printing film, are made of at least 70 per cent recycled material. This saves 40 million paper bags every year – and with it significant amounts of resources such as trees, water and energy.
