Reuse vs Repurpose - Know the difference

Thursday 10 August 2023

The APCO team has recently been receiving quite a few questions about reusable packaging, and following the 2023 APCO Annual Reporting round, we wanted to provide some detail on the differences between reuse and repurpose to ensure accurate reporting.

 

Please take the time to read this article – read time is less than 5 minutes – to learn more about the difference between reuse and repurpose, how to accurately report and to work towards your commitments and the 2025 Targets, as well as latest news and opportunities and key supporting resources on the topic. 

Our new Our Packaging Future Reuse Award is open for submission right now, so read on to find out how to apply.  

REUSABLE PACKAGING 101 

 

What is reusable packaging? 

Reusable packaging is defined as packaging which proves its capability of accomplishing a minimum number of trips (or reuse cycles) within its lifecycle, in a purposefully designed system of reuse. Importantly, reusable packaging must be used again in the same application for which it was originally designed.  

 

What if my customers can use my product’s packaging like a bottle, or a cardboard box again for other purposes e.g. as a water bottle, or for moving house? 

This isn’t considered reuse and is instead known as repurpose.  

 

Repurposing is often confused with reuse – for example, a rubber band used to hold vegetables or a glass jar, can both be kept by a consumer and repurposed to hold other items; however, they are not in a purposefully designed system of reuse, designed for the same application.  

 

While still a great opportunity to ensure an item doesn’t go directly to the landfill or recycling bin, it’s important to understand the difference. An item that can be repurposed but ultimately must go to landfill at end-of-life doesn’t meet the 100% reusable, recyclable, compostable packaging 2025 National Packaging Target.  

 

What kind of reuse systems exist? 

There are examples of both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) reusable packaging. These are:  

• B2C: refill at home, refill on the go, return from home, and return on the go. 
• B2B: individual adoption, single industry pooling, multi-industry pooling, and physical internet. 

 

Learn more about these reuse systems in the ‘Scaling Up Reusable Packaging’ linked in the resources section below. 

MEETING OBLIGATIONS AND TARGETS 

 

APCO Annual Reporting 

For those Brand Owner Members who complete a ‘Full’ or ‘Packaging Manufacturer and Supplier’ version of the APCO Annual Report, you’ll be asked to answer a few questions on reusable packaging. You’ll need to provide a numerical response on the following question within Criteria 4 – Recoverability: 

• Full: How many of your <baseline metric> have packaging for which all components are reusable? 
• Packaging Manufacturer/Supplier: How many of your <baseline metric> are designed to be reused?  

 

When answering these questions, it’s important to remember that this is asking about if the packaging is reusable. Items that can be repurposed (e.g. bottles, boxes etc.) and are not specifically designed for reuse as described above should not be considered here. 

2025 National Packaging Targets 

One of the 2025 Targets is for 100% of packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. 

Currently many businesses have focused on recyclability and compostability at end-of-life, but as Australia now works towards a circular economy for packaging, reuse will play a much bigger role in the packaging supply chain. 

 

Now’s the time to start investigating opportunities for reuse in your packaging supply chain. B2B packaging is a great place to start – you’re probably already involved in reusable B2B packaging systems such as reusable pallets or crates!  

LATEST NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES 

 

2023 APCO Annual Awards – Apply now! 

This year, APCO has a new Our Packaging Future award focusing on reuse! This award looks to celebrate outstanding examples of reusable packaging systems within Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. The deadline for submissions is fast approaching, 24 August, so we encourage you to apply now.  

 

The award criteria emphasise aspects such as goals and project design, implementation, outcome and future directions, and how your initiative demonstrates innovation and leadership. By entering the Reuse Award, you have the opportunity to gain industry-wide recognition, enhance your organisation's reputation, and showcase your commitment to sustainable packaging practices. 

 

If you have an exciting reuse example to share, we encourage you to take advantage of this unique opportunity to highlight your organisation's accomplishments and contribute to the broader sustainable packaging landscape. For further detail and instructions on how to apply visit the APCO awards page. 

KEY RESOURCES 

Want to know even more about reusable packaging?  

Click here to read our Scaling Up Reusable Packaging resource! 

 

Released in February 2022, this resource aims to provide an understanding of what reusable packaging is, its potential benefits, and key learnings to consider from other reusable packaging models that are active in the packaging supply chain today.