Smart Reuse

What is Smart Reuse?

Smart Reuse, powered by MIWA Technologies, enables shopping into reusable Smart Cups, instead of single-use packaging.

The technology behind Smart Reuse facilitates a closed-loop system in which the Cups can be reused hygienically many times, before eventually being recycled to create new Cups. That way, Smart Reuse saves valuable resources and prevents the creation of waste from single-use packaging.

Background

Single-use packaging puts a lot of pressure on the planet. It is made of natural resources, which are taken from the earth, transported, and manufactured, just to be used once. After that one usage, it turns into waste.

Packaging waste often ends up in incineration ovens, on landfills or in the ocean. As we keep throwing packaging awaz, we also keep producing new packaging. It is a negative spiral: more resources used; more waste created.

As a result, shopping into single-use packaging heavily contributes to environmental crises, such as ocean pollution and climate change.

Solution

A borrowed Cup can be reused as many times as is desirable before being returned. Upon its return, the Cup will be cleaned and made ready for someone else to (re-)use it again.

Each time you shop into a Smart Cup, which is designed to last for a long time, you prevent the creation of many layers of disposable packaging. The more often you use a Cup, the more waste you prevent.

How it works for you?

Borrow a small, medium, or large Cup by taking it from the Smart Reuse shelves in the packaging free zone in your store and pay a small deposit.

Fill the Cup with a product of your choice from the dispensers, following the instructions on the display on the shelves.

Keep reusing the Cup as long as desirable. In case you forgot to bring your Cup, you can always borrow another one.

When you no longer wish to reuse the same Cup, you can return it at the store and reclaim your deposit.

How the system works

Smart Reuse prevents single-use packaging waste from the production site to your kitchen cabinet. Producers deliver products in hygienically sealed and reusable Smart Canisters to stores, where you dispense the product into reusable Smart Cups. Both the canisters and the Cups have long lifespans, during which they can prevent the production of thousands of pieces of single-use packaging.

Benefits

Buy products, not packaging

The deposit paid over the Smart Cup can be reclaimed when you return the Cup, so you only pay for the product, not the packaging.

Prevent waste

Smart Cups are not wasted but used again and again. The Cup is also designed to be easily recycled for the creation of new Cups when it is no longer functional.

Lower your footprint

Using far less resources to distribute the same amount of goods, Smart Reuse enables you to lower your environmental footprint.

Know what you buy

With the MIWA app, Smart Cups bring all information that you would normally find on single-use packaging to your phone, including cooking times or allergens.

Buy what you know

Smart Reuse works for any kind of brand and many different product categories. It enables you to do your regular groceries, without the packaging waste.

Safety first

To guarantee high levels of product quality and hygiene, both the Canisters inside the dispensers and the returned Smart Cups follow a certified cleaning procedure and are sealed before reuse.

FAQ

How does Smart Reuse prevent the creation of packaging waste?

Before reaching your local store, products normally pass by production sites, producer warehouses, logistics centers, and retailer warehouses. That’s why most products are distributed and sold in several layers of single-use packaging. Each layer has a different function, including hygienic protection, protection during transport or providing product information.

With Smart Reuse, all these layers and their functions are replaced with one reusable Canister, which is placed in the dispenser, and one reusable Smart Cup. From the production site to your household, the product you buy securely traveled in packaging with a long life.

Why is Smart Reuse more sustainable than recycling single-use packaging?

Packaging materials are often particularly difficult to recycle, due to their material composition, color, shape, weight, and the sorting and collection process. As a result, 98% of the global production of plastic packaging still depends on virgin materials.

Most recycled packaging ends up used in products with a lower value than the original usage. In those cases, recycling only delays the creation of waste. In such a system, new resources are still required to create new products.

With Smart Reuse, packaging no longer turns into waste. The Smart Reuse system needs much less packaging to begin with, simply because the packaging is designed to be reused many times. Once the Smart Cups are no longer functional, their material is used for the creation of new Cups, further closing the material loop.

Why can’t the same environmental impact be reached without the added technology?

The technology behind Smart Reuse enables the closed-loop packaging system in which products and materials are reused as long as possible. With Smart Reuse, products travel from producers to stores in reusable canisters, each of which carries a chip. The same applies to the Smart Cups. These canisters and Cups connect to an information system, which shows how much packaging is currently in use, how often each item has been used, and what it has been used for. This information is essential to guarantee that no material is lost, to make sure that the system is fully hygienic, but also to optimize the cleaning for reuse and recycling processes.

How much packaging waste do I prevent through Smart Reuse?

That entirely depends on the products you buy through Smart Reuse and how they would be packed in single-use packaging. But in general, the more Cups are reused, and the more people reuse, the more packaging waste can be prevented.

For example, with the purchase of one portion of cereals through Smart Reuse, you could prevent the production of one paper box, one plastic sachet, and a bit of transportation packaging too. By the tenth time someone uses that same Cup to buy cereals, the production of 10 paper boxes, 10 plastic sachets, and a significant amount of transportation packaging would be prevented.

Is Smart Reuse, taking the cleaning and transport of Cups into consideration, truly more sustainable than single-use packaging?

Yes. An independent study by the Prague University of Chemistry and Technology shows that Smart Reuse has an overall environmental footprint that is 71% smaller than single-use packaging. Nevertheless, certain conditions need to be met to reach this impact potential. It is important that both the reusable Smart Canisters which are placed into the dispensers and the Smart Cups are reused and recycled in practice. That is why Smart Reuse has been designed to ensure that all materials circulate in closed loops.

How does the deposit system work?

You will pay a small deposit (30 CZK) at checkout together with the price for the product. You can use the Smart Cup as often as you wish. Once you don’t need it, you can return it and you will get your deposit back.

When do I get my money back after returning the Smart Cup?

Once you return the Smart Cup in the store, the shop assistant will refund your deposit.

Please, always return the Smart Cup with the lid.

What is the size selection of Smart Cups?

There are three sizes available at the store - 350 ml, 750 ml a 1000 ml.

Why are the Smart Cups made of plastic?

Smart Cups are made from durable recyclable material which is certified for contact with food.

Light weight of the plastic Smart Cup makes the transport more effective and reduce environmental footprint.

What happens if a Smart Cup gets damaged?

We collect all material and recycle it. Don’t throw away damaged Smart Cup, or use it for shopping, please return it in the store and borrow a new one. Please return both cup and the lid.

Do I have to clean my Smart Cup before returning it?

No. Only please remove the product remains, the rest will be washed off during the cleaning.

What kinds of products can I buy through Smart Reuse?

There is a wide range of food and non-food products, including home care drugstore products available.

At this moment there are nearly 100 products from categories as legumes, cereals, seeds, nuts, cookies, a selection of cleaning products as washing powder and surface cleaners.

How safe is Smart Reuse?

Smart Cups are designed and certified for contact with food. The smart technology meets the highest standards of sorting and cleaning based on EU and Czech norms and standards.

Thanks to the NFC tag on the Smart Cup we controll the cleaning proces.