The Environmental Advantages of Reusable and Insulated Plastic Containers for Shipping Perishable Food Items

The landscape of plastic packaging is currently under going public scrutiny. Material substitutions, reductions in demand, investments in recycling capacities and technologies are all part of a more sustainable future. But, the combination of high-performance plastic packaging solutions with circular business models offer the opportunity to leverage plastic's unique material properties while minimizing environmental impact.

Liviri has set out to change the way perishable items are shipped to consumers. At first glance comparing a plastic product against the ubiquitous corrugated cardboard box, which is bio-based, biodegradable, and has a share of recycled content, seems counter-intuitive from a sustainability perspective. However, the high durability, excellent insulative performance, and circular business model of Liviri Fresh and Liviri Vino give some clear advantages over the corrugated incumbent.

To test the environmental performance of their products against competitors, Liviri commissioned thinkstep, a global leader in life cycle assessment and sustainability consulting, to conduct two separate case studies: one on meal kit home delivery (Liviri Fresh) and one on wine home delivery (Liviri Vino). This presentation highlights key differences between Liviri products and their corrugated cardboard competitors in terms of system properties, modeling parameters, and assumptions. We wrap up with a summation of potential environmental impacts for each product system based on an equivalent amount of food items delivered to consumers.