Reusable packaging in supply chains: A review of environmental and economic impacts, logistics system designs, and operations management

Abstract

The pivotal shift from single-use to reusable packaging has recently challenged the concept of packaging ownership. Extant literature have studied supply chain systems using reusable packaging for bundling (known as secondary packaging) or transportation (known as tertiary packaging) of products. Although using reusable packaging for containing products (known as primary packaging) has been tested by more than two dozen of the world's biggest brands (e.g., Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Procter & Gamble), it has not received much attention in studies concerning supply chain systems yet. In this paper, we aim to review the extant literature in light of (1) the environmental and economic costs of reusable packaging, (2) the design of reusable packaging logistics systems, and (3) the implications of operations management for reusable packaging. Based on our analysis of existing studies, we then deliver insights and potential opportunities for future research on reusable packaging.