During the BePacMan Steering Group Meeting held in Klaipėda on 19 February 2026, project partners and invited stakeholders participated in a dedicated learning session focused on reusable packaging systems in e-commerce logistics.

The session featured Zerozon, a Lithuania-based startup developing reusable packaging solutions. The objective of the session was to facilitate knowledge exchange through the presentation of real-life pilot results and discussion of operational, technical and economic aspects of reusable packaging systems with project partners from across the South Baltic region.

Reusable packaging pilots in e-commerce

During the session, Zerozon presented results from two pilot trials testing reusable packaging solutions in e-commerce logistics.

The first pilot involved 20 reusable delivery bags, which were tested without a deposit system. The trial achieved a 75% return rate within one week.

In the second pilot, 1000 reusable cosmetic boxes were tested, also without a deposit system. In this case the return rate reached 48% within approximately six weeks.

The pilots demonstrated an important behavioural insight: in the absence of financial incentives, reusable packaging may often be treated by users as disposable.

The importance of incentives and system design

To illustrate the impact of incentives, the discussion also referenced Lithuania’s national deposit return system, where return rates typically reach 92–97%. This comparison highlighted the critical role that economic instruments and system design play in achieving high return rates in reuse systems.

The company also presented key performance indicators used to evaluate reusable packaging models, including return rate, number of cycles per asset, loss rate, cost per cycle and turnaround time.

These indicators allow companies to assess both the economic feasibility and environmental performance of reuse systems.

Key insights from the discussion

The presentation was followed by an interactive discussion among project partners and stakeholders, allowing participants to exchange experiences and perspectives from different countries.

Several important factors influencing the scalability of reusable packaging systems were identified.

Participants highlighted that durability and resistance to mechanical damage are critical for reusable packaging. Cardboard-based reusable packaging has been tested but may show lower resistance compared to plastic alternatives, which poses challenges for repeated use.

Another important aspect discussed was the standardisation of packaging formats, which can improve logistics efficiency and support cross-border scalability of reuse systems.

Participants also emphasised that reliable data tracking and measurement of system performance are essential to verify environmental benefits and ensure transparency of reuse models.

Supporting learning and knowledge exchange

The Zerozon case provided valuable practical insights for the BePacMan partnership. By analysing real pilot experiences and discussing them in an international group of project partners, participants were able to identify both technical and behavioural barriers that need to be addressed when scaling reusable packaging systems.

Such learning sessions support the exchange of practical knowledge between innovators and project partners and contribute to the development of circular packaging solutions in the South Baltic region.