SPAR Hungary introduces a new type of reusable transport containers at its fruit and vegetable departments in 2024. The foldable, reusable, easy-to-clean, durable boxes will be introduced in all SPAR stores during the year.

“Achieving environmental sustainability is a strategic issue for SPAR Hungary. It is an important aim to reduce waste production, help prevent waste generation and increase recycling rates. In 2023 also, we have taken a number of measures that serve these goals. We have decided for example to use less plastic in the packaging of certain products, and saving a significant amount of plastic film by covering some shipments with rolling rack plastic blankets. And our new digital solutions have greatly reduced paper-based administration. One of the important steps in this area this year is the uniform introduction of the so-called ‘IFCO’ storage containers in the SPAR network, which not only strengthens our position in food safety, but also helps us to operate in an environmentally-conscious manner,” emphasised Márk Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR Hungary.

With the new containers the store appearances will also be more uniform and well-designed. Also, the reusable storage containers which meet high food safety standards have several other advantages. Firstly, in the future significantly less cardboard, plastic and wood, so-called one-way containers will be necessary. The new containers are robust and collapsible, saving considerable costs during transport. On the other hand, they are easy to clean and reduce the risk of damage to the goods during the logistical process, which is particularly important in the case of fruit and vegetables. The containers can be recycled and, in the event of damage, the manufacturer can reuse the materials entirely.

SPAR Hungary has been testing the new containers since September 2023 and the experience has been very positive. By the end of the year, the system is expected to be introduced in all stores of the company, where its use is justified.

• The technology behind loopamid enables recycling of polyamide 6 discarded textiles into new, virgin-quality synthetic fibers and materials
• Zara launches today a jacket made only from loopamid®, based on 100% textile waste from garments, after collaborating with leading manufacturing companies to incorporate loopamid into all the different elements of the product

BASF has developed loopamid, a 100% textile-to-textile recycled polyamide 6. Inditex has turned the material into a capsule jacket.

Ludwigshafen, Germany / Arteixo, Spain – 23 January, 2023 – Today, BASF and Inditex jointly announce a breakthrough in their efforts for boosting recyclability in the textile industry. With the launch of loopamid ®, a polyamide 6 (PA6, also known as nylon 6) made from 100 percent textile waste, BASF is providing the first circular solution for nylon apparel made entirely from textile waste. Zara has turned the material into a jacket made from 100 percent loopamid, available worldwide as of today. Following a “design for recycling” approach, all parts, including fabrics, buttons, filling, hook and loop and zipper are made from loopamid. With loopamid, BASF has developed an innovative solution to improve circularity in the fashion industry and recycle polyamide 6 textile waste. Due to its capability to tolerate all fabric mixtures like PA6 and elastane, the cutting-edge technology behind loopamid allows textile-to-textile recycling of post-industrial and post-consumer textile waste. The fibers and materials can be recycled over multiple cycles. At the same time, the material characteristics are identical to those of conventional virgin polyamide. “BASF has reached an important milestone towards circularity in the fashion industry and pioneered an approach to close the loop for nylon textiles,” said Dr. Ramkumar Dhruva, President of BASF’s Monomers division. “Our loopamid has the potential to revolutionize the PA6 market for the better. We are in the process of scaling up our technology to serve our customers with commercial quantities. The capsule jacket together with Inditex is the proof that circularity is possible, and we are eager to further drive the sustainable transformation of the textile industry.”

Inditex has partnered with other leading groups in the clothing manufacturing industry to seamlessly integrate loopamid into various garment components, including fabrics, zippers, buttons, fillings, hook and loop fasteners, and sewing threads. ModaRe, a take-back program operated by the charity organization Caritas, classified, sorted and provided discarded textiles as feedstock. The Italian company RadiciGroup has been working in the process of transforming loopamid polymer into various types of yarn with different characteristics. The multinational Japanese fastening products company YKK and multinational Velcro companies have also played crucial roles in utilizing loopamid polymer to create plastic components for zippers and snap buttons, and hook and loop fasteners. Uniter from Spain, Tessitura Vignetta from Italy and Freudenberg and Gütermann from Germany have also participated in this project to develop other garment components such as inner labels, filling materials and sewing threads using loopamid.

Javier Losada, Inditex’s Chief Sustainability Officer, added, “Driving innovation is key to advancing towards a more responsible industry. This collaboration is a great example of how, by collaborating all together, we can use the new technology to transform textile waste into a new resource. This project is also a first step to move towards a circular solution, as the industry still needs to boost new collecting and recycling capacities in order to close the loop and scale recycling for post-consumer waste.”

The collaboration of BASF and Inditex is based on a joint journey – both companies are following ambitious sustainability goals. By the year 2030, BASF aims to double its sales generated with solutions for the circular economy to €17 billion. To achieve this, the company is concentrating on three action areas: circular feedstocks, new material cycles and new business models.

Inditex aims to have 100% of its textile products to be made exclusively from materials with a smaller environmental footprint by 2030. As part of this commitment, the Group expects to have 25% of the textile fibers made from next-generation materials that do not yet exist at an industrial scale, 40% of conventional recycled materials and 25% of organic and regenerative fibres. Polyamide 6, commonly known as nylon 6, is a type of synthetic polymer that is widely used in various applications due to its excellent mechanical properties and versatility. BASF is one of the leading manufacturers of polyamide 6 and its precursors, with production sites in Europe, Asia and North America.

SPAR has organised and evaluated its first carbon awareness event. The company will offset the carbon footprint of its partner event of the Budapest Wine Festival by planting 392 autochthonous fruit trees.

“Our world is rather fragile, so we must take all reasonable efforts to protect it as much as we can. For many years, SPAR Hungary has been consciously striving to ensure that the operation of its stores, as well as the production and distribution of its products and the organisation of its events are all guided by this principle. That is why at this year’s Budapest Wine Festival, SPAR’s partner event has been planned with the smallest possible carbon footprint. We voluntarily compensate for the emissions generated by organisation, energy consumption, travel of guests and meals by planting native fruit trees,” summarised Márk Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR Hungary.

SPAR’s partner, the GreenDependent Institute, accurately calculated the carbon footprint of the event based on the number of participants, the duration of the event, the number of travels to and from the event, the food, drinks, service, printed materials, the amount of paper used in organisation, and the energy used at the event (for lighting and sound). Thus, the carbon footprint of the event was 8.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted, mostly from catering (more than 60%), and 38% from travel. Three quarters of the 440 participants travelled to the event from Budapest, and how they travelled (by car, public transport, bicycle, on foot, etc.) was also assessed.

Already in the organisation phase of the event, SPAR Hungary made participants aware of how to be carbon-conscious. For example, by trying to avoid generating food waste by putting only the necessary portion on their plate and using public transport to get to the venue, or by sharing the use of cars. The company also sought to reduce environmental impact by sourcing ingredients for the food served at the event from local producers to support shorter supply chains, and by also sourcing beverages from domestic partners. Dishes were prepared on site, eliminating the need to transport and package food separately, and reusable cutlery and glasses avoided the build-up of additional waste. Waste was collected selectively, untouched food was distributed to those in need with the help of the Hungarian Food Bank Association, and the remaining waste was transported and processed by Biofilter.

The 8.5 tonnes of CO₂ emissions from the event, calculated by the GreenDependent Institute, were voluntarily offset by the Hungarian retail chain by planting native fruit trees. According to calculations of the experts this would require 392 tree seedlings over five years, which the green organisation distributed to the gardens of educational and welfare institutions in cooperation with SPAR Hungary. By offsetting the carbon footprint of the event this way, and by planting indigenous trees from the “Fairy Garden” (Tündérkert) orchard in Pórszombat, a gene conservation site in the Zala County, the company has contributed to the conservation of biodiversity and local varieties.