Intelligent return crates in a circular economy

Purpose and goal

A circular and biobased economy requires innovations that minimize sub-optimality in industries as well as value chains and maximize resource utilization. The project has clearly strengthen the concept Intelligent return crate. The potential to create completely new prerequisites for more resource efficient, environmentally friendly and safer goods flow, enabling new services for all stakeholders in the food industry have been verified in field-tests as well as in-depth discussions with retail and food producers.

Expected results and effects

A significant number of values have been mapped and verified by key actors. They show great interest in the concept. Critical factors related to business models have been defined such as the primary need in monitoring quality parameters for minimized food waste and the resource efficiency in handling of both return crates and material flows. The concept has also strengthened at SRS. In the annual report it is stated: “Within a near future, smart load carrier will be implemented with integrated sensors measuring position, if the cold chain been broken”

Planned approach and implementation

The dialogue carried out with key stakeholders in order to clarify the interest, needs and potential values they may have in future implementation of intelligent return crates have worked well. Field studies have been carried out, which have provided in-depth insights of both hinders and enablers of the concept. This has also lead to substantial developments of technology (sensors and user interfaces). The cost structure for each actor have been targeted as a critical factor for the further implementation, something we will continue to work on after this project.