Single-use or reusable? Packaging strategies for decarbonizing fresh produce distribution in Ho.Re.Ca. supply chain

Reducing packaging-related environmental burden has become a key priority in the agri-food sector, especially in light of regulatory pressures and sustainability goals. While reusable packaging systems are increasingly recognized as a viable alternative to single-use packaging, their implementation in the Hotel, Restaurants, and Cafe (Ho.Re.Ca.) sector remains underexplored. To understand the environmental implications resulting from different packaging and operational choices in the Ho.Re.Ca. fruit and vegetable distribution, this study quantifies carbon footprint across the entire use cycle of crates, including logistics, production, end-of-life, and washing operations, providing a comprehensive cradle-to-grave evaluation of secondary packaging strategies. Through a multi-scenario analysis, the study evaluates the influence of three key parameters (reusable crate Breakage Probability, reusable crate Washing Rate, and Paper Share of disposable crates) on the overall carbon emissions of the whole supply chain system. Results show that reusable systems provide the best environmental performance under low Breakage Probability, while hybrid configurations can outperform single-use systems under certain conditions. This study does not aim for generality but instead focuses on the unique aspects of a specific industrial case using an Operational Packaging digital Twin (OPT). This tool is developed to help practitioners assess and compare quantitative indicators of logistics performance and carbon footprint resulting from packaging choice. Findings demonstrate that packaging strategies have system-wide implications and reuse schemes require careful design, especially in fragmented and logistics-intensive sectors like Ho.Re.Ca.