Context and purpose
The project was born in response to two structural challenges of the food system: the prevalence of single-use packaging in food products and the environmental impacts associated with the consumption of processed and packaged foods. It is conceived as a demonstrative case that articulates technical and organizational solutions to reduce, reuse and return packaging in neighborhood stores and cooperative supermarkets. Its strategic intention is to consolidate collaborative models between points of sale and local producers, generating practical evidence for their scalability.
Specific activities and outputs
The original proposal was submitted by LA OSA S.Coop. Mad, a cooperative and participatory supermarket in Madrid, in partnership with UNCUMA. It develops the project together with Biolíbere, the Network of Cooperative Supermarkets, GIAU+S (Polytechnic University of Madrid) and Al Grano. The lines of action structured during implementation are:
- Systematization and transfer of good practices
Document and share efficient processes for the management of goods, packaging and waste among the participating entities and towards the small business sector.
Prototyping alternatives to disposable in-store
packagingFacilitate bulk sales and improve fresh produce management procedures without resorting to non-reusable packaging.
Prototyping of a shared system of returnable transport
containersPromote collaboration between establishments and local production projects to replace single-use transport containers with reusable ones.
Design of a system for the recovery and reuse of glass
containersTo evaluate its viability as a cooperative model between collaborating establishments and projects.