Ecodesign of packaging
The ecodesign packaging project, created more than ten years ago, seeks to reduce the environmental impact and optimise the costs of production, transport and waste management of Private Brand product packaging. Since its launch, the initiative has helped to change 1,893 product references, thus avoiding the use of 41,869 tonnes of materials. An additional 774 FSC® or similar certified packages were also introduced. The optimisation of packaging size, weight and shape also helped avoid the emission of 6,296 tonnes of carbon dioxide as a result of increased efficiency in the transport of products.
In 2023, we implemented 737 of these projects (497 at Biedronka, 132 at Pingo Doce, 50 at Recheio, 44 at Hebe, and 14 at Ara), increasing the percentage of ecodesigned Private Brand product packaging to 30% since 2011, greatly exceeding our target of 12% by the end of 2023.
As regards the reusability of plastic packages, in 2023 we determined that 1.3% of them were reusable (0.2 p.p. less than in 2022), according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation proposed method for reporting this indicator to the Global Commitment.
Packaging ecodesign – highlights from 2023
- Biedronka – The usual handle attached to the neck of the 5 litre “Oaza” still water bottle and the label in the middle of the bottle have been eliminated and replaced with a label-strap on the top of the bottle, which also serves as a handle. This solution helps save over 160 tonnes of plastic each year.
- Pingo Doce – The cork stoppers of all Pingo Doce brand still and sparkling wines are now FSC®certified. The use of cork stoppers in all Pingo Doce still and sparkling wines corresponds to an annual production of cork from around 670 hectares of cork oak forest and avoids the emission of more than 2,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.
- Recheio – The size of the unit cardboard box of nine Amanhecer flavoured jellies and one crème brûlée has been reduced, with a 28% reduction in unit weight, saving over 1.8 tonnes of cardboard per year.
- Ara – The plastic packaging of four baby nappy references and two detergents now incorporates 30% recycled plastic. Ara has also incorporated 5% recycled plastic in a shampoo bottle. Using this recycled plastic avoids the use of more than 12 tonnes of virgin plastic each year.
- Hebe – The paper used in the packaging of 44 of Hebe’s Private Brand references is now FSC® certified, thereby ensuring that this commodity is sourced from responsibly managed forests.
Reusable packaging
The use of reusable packaging in our operations enabled us to avoid over 40,000 tonnes of disposable packaging in 2023. Pingo Doce and Recheio recorded 41.5 million uses of reusable boxes in the perishables areas, which include the pool of boxes used between central kitchens, distribution centres and Pingo Doce stores. At Biedronka this figure stood at 22.4 million uses for bakery products and at Ara we recorded more than 16 million uses of reusable boxes in the transport of bottled water, milk, meat and fruit and vegetables.
The ECO plastic bottle refilling solution, available at Pingo Doce, was extended to 284 stores, 51 more than in 2022. This solution avoided the use of 105 tonnes of SUP in 2023, 9% more than in the previous year.
Reusable solutions for transporting customers’ shopping
Material used by type of solution |
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
|
Δ 2023/2022 |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reusable paper check-out bags (tonnes) |
|
1,024 |
|
2,445 |
|
-58.1% |
||||||
Biedronka |
|
906 |
|
2,319 |
|
-60.9% |
||||||
Hebe |
|
15 |
|
10 |
|
+50.0% |
||||||
Pingo Doce |
|
101 |
|
111 |
|
-9.0% |
||||||
Recheio |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
||||||
Ara |
|
2 |
|
5 |
|
-60.0% |
||||||
Reusable plastic bags1 (tonnes) |
|
9,548 |
|
*9,196 |
|
+3.8% |
||||||
Biedronka |
|
7,069 |
|
6,606 |
|
+7.0% |
||||||
Hebe |
|
44 |
|
*44 |
|
0.0% |
||||||
Pingo Doce |
|
2,199 |
|
2,153 |
|
+2.1% |
||||||
Recheio |
|
8 |
|
7 |
|
+14.3% |
||||||
Ara |
|
228 |
|
386 |
|
-40.9% |
||||||
Trolleys (units) |
|
32,955 |
|
28,650 |
|
+15.0% |
||||||
Biedronka |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
||||||
Hebe |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
||||||
Pingo Doce |
|
32,950 |
|
28,287 |
|
+16.5% |
||||||
Recheio |
|
2 |
|
353 |
|
-99.4% |
||||||
Ara |
|
3 |
|
10 |
|
-70.0% |
||||||
|
||||||||||||
In 2023, there was a marked decrease in the consumption of paper bags, due mainly to an adjustment at Biedronka, which saw increased use in 2022 to cope with a disruption in the delivery of plastic check-out bags.
Despite the fact that our Companies stopped providing plastic bags for free in 2017, we recorded a 3.8% increase in use, associated with the expansion of the Group Companies’ businesses. The reusable plastic bags (polyethylene) available at Biedronka and Pingo Doce are Blue Angel1 certified. In 2023, we increased the amount of post-consumer recycled plastic in reusable bags, from around 60% in 2019 to 80%, totalling 7,700 tonnes.
As regards paper bags, the content of recycled materials is 70% at Biedronka and Pingo Doce, corresponding to around 703 tonnes.
Promoting bulk sales
Biedronka and Pingo Doce stores offer the bulk sale of some food products, specifically sweets and nuts. In 2023, Biedronka sold 31.4 tonnes of bulk products, a service available in 83% of its stores, while Pingo Doce sold 209 tonnes, which are available in 40% of its stores.
Ara sells rice, sugar, lentils and beans in bulk registering 13.5 tonnes sold in 2023. This initiative is implemented in 470 stores (36% of total stores).
1 Blue Angel certification is awarded to products that have a better environmental profile.