Sprouts Farmers Market is planning to ramp up its sustainability efforts through an expanded collaboration with IFCO, a reusable packaging containers supplier.
The specialty grocer expects to lower its carbon dioxide emissions by 600 metric tons and reduce food waste by 105,000 pounds of food through the tie-up over the next 12 months, according to a Tuesday press release.
Sprouts estimated its food waste diversion with IFCO for the next 12 months would be three times the amount of food waste the grocer recovered last year.
Sprouts first partnered with IFCO in 2020 to pilot the reusable containers for fresh produce items packaged in high-humidity environments. The pilot aimed to “assess the feasibility of replacing single-use corrugated and especially wax-corrugated boxes,” which are difficult to recycle and expensive to dispose of, according to the announcement.
Sprouts initially piloted IFCO’s containers in two of its distribution centers — in Glendale, Arizona, and Fullerton, California — as well as in all of the retailer’s stores within those distribution centers’ networks, a spokesperson for the specialty grocer confirmed via email.
In April, Sprouts expanded the program to all six of its distribution centers, the spokesperson added. The success of the initial pilot also led to packing more fresh produce in reusable packaging containers, IFCO noted.
During the trial, Sprouts used 400,000 of IFCO’s reusable containers to replace single-use wax cardboard boxes, according to the spokesperson. Now, the grocer expects to see roughly 1.5 million boxes diverted from landfills.
“We will continue to look at other suppliers and SKUs to transition out of wax to reusable,” the Sprouts spokesperson said.
IFCO noted in the announcement that the design of the reusable packaging containers also minimizes product damage during transport, which will help reduce food waste and improve efficiency.
Along with carbon dioxide and food waste reduction, Sprouts’ partnership with IFCO is estimated tol reduce the amount of solid waste the grocery generates by 600,000 pounds as well as save 33,000 gigajoules of energy and 2.4 million gallons of water, according to the announcement.
“By expanding our use of IFCO's reusable packaging solutions, we are taking steps in contributing to a circular economy where we’re reducing waste sent to landfill and increasing resource efficiency.” Justin Kacer, Sprouts’ sustainability manager, said in the press release.
