Tosca points to reusable packaging as supply chains face cost and labour pressure

European supply chains are being pushed to rethink packaging as costs, labour shortages and regulation add pressure to daily operations, according to Tosca.

The reusable packaging company says businesses are moving away from treating packaging as a disposable item and are starting to see it as part of their logistics infrastructure. The shift comes as single-use packaging continues to generate high volumes of waste, while material price volatility makes operating costs harder to control.

Labour is another part of the problem. Tosca points to data showing that 76% of supply chain and logistics leaders report workforce shortages, increasing the need for systems that reduce manual handling and bring more consistency into transport and storage.

Regulation is also changing the economics of packaging. Extended Producer Responsibility schemes and the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation are putting more focus on waste prevention, reuse, durability and lifecycle performance. For companies that still depend heavily on single-use systems, this could mean higher fees, more reporting requirements and added pressure to redesign packaging.

Laurent Le Mercier, EMEA President at Tosca, said the old model of treating packaging as a consumable cost is becoming harder to maintain. In his view, reusable packaging is turning into core supply chain infrastructure because it can reduce waste at source while improving cost predictability and operational resilience.

Reusable plastic packaging works through repeated circulation rather than constant replacement. In pooled systems, assets are collected, inspected, cleaned, repaired and redeployed, allowing companies to move from cost-per-unit purchasing to a more predictable cost-per-use model.

Tosca says standardised reusable packaging can also support automation, improve load stability and reduce damage, handling complexity and operational variability. These factors are becoming more important as companies look for ways to manage regulatory compliance and supply chain risk within the same system.

The company has also launched a whitepaper, The Business Case for Reusable Transport Packaging, covering how reusable transport packaging can support more resilient European supply chains.

Businesses reviewing their packaging strategy can inquire for a free consultation.