NS, part of Dutch Railways, is leading the way in making packaging more sustainable. They choose mono-materials wherever possible, minimise the use of plastic and encourage the use of their own packaging - and successfully at that! What does their packaging approach look like and what role do Bunzl Foodservice and Verive play in this? Marjolijn Somers, Category Manager at NS, gives us a look behind the scenes.
You can also find this case study at verive.eu/en
If you have ever bought a coffee to-go or a freshly baked snack during your train journey, chances are you have used a Verive pack. NS' own formulas such as 'Kiosk', 'Julia's' and the 'Station House Room' have been loyal Bunzl Foodservice customers for many years.
"Bunzl Foodservice is a valuable partner in this. Every quarter I meet with our regular contact, Ruben Matser, and once every six months Bunzl's sustainability manager Joost Lip and my colleague from sustainability at NS join us. We then discuss the opportunities and challenges coming our way and immediately work out the necessary actions," Marjolijn explains. "That expertise on laws and regulations, but especially the translation into practice, is essential for us." Coffee cups are a case in point. "Some 200,000 of these go over the counter every week in our formulas. Bunzl Foodservice advises us on new possibilities. For example, we have been able to reduce the plastic content in the coating of the cups."
The Verive carrier bags made of recycled paper.
Another example is the mono-material paper bags for croissants or snacks. "When I joined the packaging category, we used paper bags with a plastic window. The combination of materials made them difficult to recycle. I asked Bunzl Foodservice for a bag without plastic, where you can still see the contents. That's how we arrived at Verive's current transparent paper bags."
NS has set itself the ambitious goal of having waste-free stations by 2040. This means they will no longer offer products or packaging that are not reusable or recyclable. "For us, it is important that the choices we make really lead to an improvement in sustainability. There are plenty of parties claiming to have something sustainable, so it is important to stick to the facts," Marjolijn said.
To determine whether packaging fits within the strategy, NS has a handbook of guidelines. "For example, we focus on mono-materials, as little plastic as possible - both in packaging and weight - and avoid coloured plastic."
More and more travellers are bringing their own cup.
Together with partners, the NS team works hard to create a surprising and sustainable range. "Of course we also have to pay attention to costs, but there is support for sustainability from management," says Marjolijn. Marjolijn focuses on properly recyclable packaging, less packaging material and reusable options where possible. "The latter takes time, but the development is positive: where our initial target of 2% bring-your-own was at first met with difficulty, we are now at 10% of customers bringing their own coffee cup! This has not happened automatically: employees encourage it by actively asking for it and we offer it as an option on order columns."
We are proud to contribute to NS' sustainable packaging strategy with our products. Would you like to get started with this too, or would you like to check whether your current packaging complies with laws and regulations? Get in touch with your regular contact person, or send a message to info@bunzl.nl.
Find out more about Verive at verive.eu/en.
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