Life Cycle Assessment of reusable plastic containers throughout the fruit and vegetables supply chain

In the food packaging industry, waste, resource utilisation, and transport are critical issues that significantly influence the food supply chain footprint. Several studies evaluated the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of food packaging systems by comparing alternative materials and sizes, such as plastic, cardboard, and wood. This study illustrates the results of a LCA conducted on a novel reusable plastic container (RPC) for fresh products travelling within a logistic network made of growers, retailers, package manufacturers, and RPC poolers. It is based on an Italian country-wide distribution system of fruit and vegetables. The novel contributions of this research deal with the utilisation of primary data and the development of a multi-scenario analysis considering different packaging solutions, production recipes, and energy mix at the production plant.