A circular breakthrough for take-away

In collaboration with the Department of Administrative Affairs and Financial Management (DSS) and Compass Group, and with support from the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund, GRIN AS has replaced single-use takeaway packaging with a circular return system in two cafeterias in the Government Quarter in Oslo. The goal? To phase out up to 660,000 single-use packages annually, while also making a significant contribution to Norway's transition to more reuse solutions.

See how the deposit system works in practice:

From Disposable to Smart Reuse

Previously, the single-use packaging used by the canteens generated large amounts of waste and greenhouse gas emissions, but this has been significantly reduced with this initiative. With the implementation of this project, two canteens in the Government Quarter have gone from using 96,600 single-use packaging items a year to using only 900 reusable packaging items.

– That corresponds to somewhere between five and ten tons of waste per year that is simply removed, explains GRIN CEO Lars-Martin Berglund.

GRIN's project introduces a solution with reusable plastic packaging, which withstands between 800 and 1000 uses, and can be recycled after its lifespan. The core of the solution is a digital deposit system, integrated into the existing payment app for the canteen. This makes it possible to return packaging without downloading new apps, making it both easy and accessible for users. The first time users utilize the system, they pay a deposit of 75 NOK, which they receive back when they return the plastic packaging.

Although this project in the Government Quarter uses a specific app, it is not necessary to use the same app for other parties wishing to implement the same deposit system.

– We focus on solutions that make it easy for canteens and organizations that wish to adapt the system to their use, explains Berglund.

A Solution for the Future

The project started with one collection station set up in December 2022 and has now scaled up to five collection systems, 1200 reusable packages, and full technical integration with the payment system. DSS and Compass Group, together with GRIN, have chosen two canteens as pilots, with the goal of including all eleven canteens in the Government Quarter during the project period.

GRIN's solution also includes communication between smart collection stations and canteen staff to ensure efficient emptying, washing, and reuse.

So far, the project has been a great success, with a return rate of 99 percent and very satisfied users. It is not only a benefit for the environment but also contributes to significant cost savings for DSS.

– We extract so many benefits related to working with waste, says Bjarte Nygård, section leader at DSS, and continues:

– In total, we save 250,000 NOK on purchasing disposable packaging.

From Pilot to Global Potential

With over 480 cafeterias in Norway and 5.5 billion meals served globally, Compass Group has an enormous distribution network to roll out GRIN's technology. For GRIN, this represents a significant step forward in realizing their vision: deposits on everything.

The project builds on experiences from previous initiatives supported by the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund, including the “Eternal Circle” project. Now, GRIN is taking the circular shift a step further – directly into canteen operations in the country's most important decision-making arenas.

– The support we received from the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund was necessary to move from running a pilot in one canteen to including more cafeterias. It meant that we had a success formula we could carry forward in many ways, says Berglund.

With full roll-out in the Government Quarter, the project can eliminate over 43 tons of packaging waste per year. The packaging currently used often has plastic coatings and ends up as residual waste. The new solution not only allows for reuse but also recycling when the lifespan is over.

The project supports UN Sustainable Development Goals 11 and 12, demonstrating how innovation and collaboration can drive responsible consumption and more sustainable communities.