FoodLogistics.com |

Wal--Mart has for several years now pushed the use of returnable plastic containers from the field all the way through the supply chain onto store displays. And, where Wal--Mart goes, so does everyone else, eventually.

Already, several other supermarket chains have followed suit, displaying their produce in RPCs. The trend reduces labor and potential produce damage by cutting down on handling.

This is just one of the advantages of RPCs, say its proponents. And with Wal--Mart on board, RPC manufacturers are looking forward to growing market share.

One--touch merchandising—as produce moves through the supply chain in RPCs—is one of the more popular reasons that companies select RPCs over single--use corrugated containers. "When you use RPCs from the field on through to the stores, you have less product handling," says Per Oshtrom, director of marketing at CHEP USA, Orlando, FL. "This eliminates the need for knocking down boxes and setting up displays. Retail stores can realize significant labor savings with this method."

Damage reduction can be big as well, adds David Rodgers, vice president of sales and marketing at Orbis Container Services in Arroyo Grande, CA. "With the reduction in product handling, you can cut shrink by up to 2 percent," he says.

RPCs also cut down on packaging costs and waste, says Eric Fredrickson, sector manager at IPL Material Handling, Worcester, MA. "A single, reusable container can replace 100 single--use containers," he says. "One RPC costs much less than 100 single--use containers. Plus, single--use containers generate waste each time they are used. It all comes down to resource utilization—RPCs are much more efficient."

Fredrickson says that another RPC advantage is its ability to better protect the produce it carries. "By nature, they are much stronger than single--use containers because they are designed to last for many years," he says. "This means that RPCs can better sustain weight shifts in transit or damage inflicted by lift trucks and other sources."

Cleanliness is another benefit of RPCs, says Frank George, business development manager at Linpac Materials Hand­ling, Georgetown, KY. "Using plastic materials removes the risks of contamination in corrugated boxes and wood, as well as other concerns such as corrugated dust and wood chips/splinters," he says.