The renaissance of reusable food packaging : design thinking as basis for creating sustainable service models in Tampere

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to create service model recommendations for reusable food packaging services in Tampere using customer-centric design thinking to identify consumer needs, values and pain points. The inspiration for the thesis topic came from the Waste Hierarchy used in the European Waste Directive, where waste reduction and reuse are seen as the highest priorities. The research was conducted in Tampere during the spring of 2022.

The research was conducted using a qualitative research method. 11 research participants were found by advertising in local social media groups and were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were held remotely and one-on-one, and the data was analysed through thematic and basic content analysis. The interview participants’ shopping habits, experiences with habit formation, and recycling habits were investigated. They were further requested to give their preferences or opinions on various topics related to products, sustainability, and reusable packaging.

According to the research results, the interview participants shared a common motivation to recycle and make sustainable purchases, even if the extent in which they succeeded in these behaviours was not uniform. They held differing views on some of the researched topics, but were largely unanimous in their views on sustainability, and their interest in reusable food packaging; all of the participants found the concept of reusable packaging to be an attractive idea with strong potential. The results of the research were gathered to form recommendations for elements that possible new, reusable food packaging services should include in their value propositions.