Back of Store - a closed loop recycling programme

Imagine a system that keeps plastic food packaging in a circular recycling loop - without becoming waste. This is the essence of Back of Store recycling programme, which we contribute to, being a part of Faerch, a global pioneer in rigid PET food packaging. The programme exemplifies how we work to design out waste, keeping valuable materials in use and in the economy. 

With the Back of Store Programme, back of store rigid food packaging is collected, recycled, and turned into new food grade packaging after use – without being wasted or devalued.

Until recently, PET shelf ready packaging - widely used in the UK to transport products – was used once and downcycled into non-food applications. Now, thanks to the new tray-to-tray initiative, PET packaging will be collected and through an advanced recycling process, the packaging material will be used to make new food contact PET pots, tubs, and trays.

Cirrec, a part of Faerch Group, converts end-of-use PET food packaging into new food packaging material.             

Transforming the rPET supply chain

Today, we see an increasing demand for recycled PET, not just in Europe but globally. This makes it difficult to source enough supply to meet the need. At the same time, in today’s production of PET trays, there is a heavy reliance on the use of raw material from recycled PET bottles. Combined, this creates a shortfall in the availability of recycled PET.

With the Back of Store by Faerch programme we are able to create an additional material recovery stream of post-consumer recycled material, assisting to decouple the tray production from the surging demand for PET bottle flakes across producers.

Learn more about tray-to-tray recycling vs bottle-to-tray recycling