The bonÀrea group has launched the RetornA project, an innovative system for returning and reusing meat product trays, with the aim of reducing the use of single-use plastic and promoting a more sustainable consumption model. The pilot phase has started in the 57 points of sale in the province of Tarragona and in the stores in Guissona, with the intention of gradually extending the initiative to the rest of Catalonia and subsequently to the whole of Spain.
The first product involved is the chicken fillet, packaged in a tray designed internally by the company and equipped with a separating film at the base. After use, the consumer can return the container – without washing it – to any bonÀrea store. The trays are then transported to the Guissona food center via the usual logistics network, where they are cleaned and checked to be reintroduced into the circuit. Each tray can be reused up to 50 times while maintaining quality and safety standards.
To encourage customer participation, a small economic margin is foreseen: those who purchase the product pay 0,45 euros for the tray and receive 0,50 euros upon return, also favoring more competitive final prices thanks to the elimination of the cost of disposable packaging.
The system, the result of almost three years of work by technical teams specialized in logistics, materials and packaging, is based on a patented tray equipped with RFID technology and QR code to ensure traceability.
The total investment exceeds 10 million euros. According to the company's estimates, the project could avoid the use of around 80.000 disposable trays per year in the province of Tarragona alone. RetornA is part of the group's sustainability strategy, based on efficiency, circular economy and direct control of the entire supply chain.
