Sustainability success: Federal Ministry of Food receives one billionth VdF returnable bottle
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Recently, Klaus-Jürgen Philipp, President of the Association of the German Fruit Juice Industry (VdF), symbolically handed over the one billionth returnable glass bottle to Minister Dr. Bettina Hartwig on behalf of the German fruit juice producers. The association's own recycling system has been in operation for 50 years and to date 1 billion bottles have been fed in as new glass. Started with a lot of foresight and a large portion of pioneering spirit, the solidarity community of German fruit juice producers is today a symbol of a sustainable recycling economy, as Ministerial Director Dr. Bettina Hartwig also emphasised during the award ceremony: "It is a successful example of the combination of economy and ecological responsibility. The system is thus in line with the Federal Government's declared goal of strengthening waste avoidance through ecologically beneficial reusable, returnable and deposit systems."
Approximately 250 million VdF reusable bottles and 50 million VdF reusable crates are sold each year. Due to the change in consumer behaviour towards more sustainability and waste avoidance, reusable has been on the rise again for a few years and currently has a market share of 12 per cent. The VdF welcomes this development and appreciation of the returnable glass system, which is used by around 300 fruit juice producers nationwide. "Despite eventful years with major market-related changes that lie behind the industry, we have remained true to our path and after 50 years of circular economy, the topic of reusable is more topical than ever," says Philipp.
A VdF glass bottle is in use for an average of around ten years and is refilled up to 40 times. The reusable crates are put into circulation up to 100 times and then recycled. The reusable system strengthens local and regional economic cycles: the bottles and crates are usually delivered and returned within a radius of 100 kilometres.
The well-rehearsed system with a closed circuit from the producer via trade and consumer back to the producer is a prime example of a functioning community of solidarity.
