Tupperware customizes reusable burger boxes for Tim Hortons’ TerraCycle Loop trial
03 Nov 2021 --- Tupperware has designed a custom-made reusable packaging container for Tim Hortons. The container will be piloted at five select Tim Hortons restaurant locations across Burlington, Canada.
“Our goal is to develop a system that is intuitive for restaurants and guests alike, allowing them to enjoy the benefits of reusables with the convenience of single-use,” Paul Yang, senior director of innovation and sustainability for Tim Hortons, tells PackagingInsights.
“This pilot will help us understand what our guests like, and more importantly, how we can improve their experience to encourage even more guests to adopt reusable options.”
The containers are the first product developed by Tupperware as part of its partnership with TerraCycle’s reuse platform Loop.
Tupperware will create additional reusable packaging options for Loop’s brand partners in 2022.
How does it work?
Guests at participating Tim Horton pilot locations are able to pay a CA$3 deposit to receive the reusable food containers.
Tim Hortons is using the trial to understand how it can optimize the reusable packaging experience for its guests and restaurants.“Deposits will be refunded via the Loop mobile app, which must be registered with a bank account,” Hector Lezama, president of commercial business expansion at Tupperware, informs PackagingInsights.
“Guests can use any of the return bins located at the five participating restaurants to return their reusable cups or food containers. All returned containers are washed and sanitized before they become available to be reused.”
Yang at Tim Hortons adds the five Burlington restaurants are close to each other, and each has a drive-thru. “Understanding how guests respond to the program in our different service modes – sit down, take out or drive-thru – is important as we learn how we can develop a scalable version of the program in the future.”
The reusable revolution
Reusable packaging systems are becoming increasingly popular, as identified by Innova Market Insights’ 2021 packaging trend: “Reusable Revolution.”
According to the market researcher, the majority of global consumers (52%) believe reusable packaging is the most environmentally sustainable model, followed by recyclable (50%) and recycled (39%), biodegradable (31%) and compostable (24%).
In the foodservice sector, a report from early this year mapped out how reusable cups can effectively replace single-use packaging.
Meanwhile, several quick-service restaurants (QSR) are banking on the reusable trend. Notably, McDonald’s and Starbucks have both piloted reusable cup schemes for hot beverages.
In October, the two QSR giants came together to further test reusable packaging systems and deepen their customer research in a US$10 million investment.
By Anni Schleicher
