A historical analysis of beverage companies and consignment: a European comparison
Marty, Nicolas
A historical analysis of beverage companies and consignment: a European comparison - 2023.
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The aim of this article is to trace the development of the practice of charging deposits for bottles to encourage their return. This practice occurred more or less widely at certain times in the industrial beverage packaging sector, and we investigate how it fits into the circular economy from the late 19th century up until today. The paper focuses on France and compares its development to that of several other industrialized countries. It discusses the issues at stake for the various companies involved in these markets, from producers to retailers, including wholesalers and packaging manufacturers. Three periods are identified. During the first one, between the 1880s and the 1930s, the deposit on bottles emerged as the main (but not the only) way to reuse bottles, and it involved a major element of circularity. Between the end of the 1930s and the end of the 1940s, in light of different shortages, States intervened and this system was even more widely adopted. After the Second World War, using deposits on bottles became far less common in France as single use packaging was widely adopted and the linear economy grew. Subsequently, in an era of mass consumption, producers began to encourage consumers to be more responsible in relation to the spread of litter. Consumers became more active participants in waste management as they were increasingly aware of the large-scale waste caused by disposable packaging. During this period, eco-organisms encouraged weak circularity by focusing on recycling rather than reuse. More recently, bottle consignment is reemerging in a way that could generate strong circularity. Adopting a comparative approach highlights the differences in the uptake of the practice across countries and sectors. Studying the power balance between different types of companies involved in the circular economy is thus fundamental to understanding its history.
A historical analysis of beverage companies and consignment: a European comparison - 2023.
32
The aim of this article is to trace the development of the practice of charging deposits for bottles to encourage their return. This practice occurred more or less widely at certain times in the industrial beverage packaging sector, and we investigate how it fits into the circular economy from the late 19th century up until today. The paper focuses on France and compares its development to that of several other industrialized countries. It discusses the issues at stake for the various companies involved in these markets, from producers to retailers, including wholesalers and packaging manufacturers. Three periods are identified. During the first one, between the 1880s and the 1930s, the deposit on bottles emerged as the main (but not the only) way to reuse bottles, and it involved a major element of circularity. Between the end of the 1930s and the end of the 1940s, in light of different shortages, States intervened and this system was even more widely adopted. After the Second World War, using deposits on bottles became far less common in France as single use packaging was widely adopted and the linear economy grew. Subsequently, in an era of mass consumption, producers began to encourage consumers to be more responsible in relation to the spread of litter. Consumers became more active participants in waste management as they were increasingly aware of the large-scale waste caused by disposable packaging. During this period, eco-organisms encouraged weak circularity by focusing on recycling rather than reuse. More recently, bottle consignment is reemerging in a way that could generate strong circularity. Adopting a comparative approach highlights the differences in the uptake of the practice across countries and sectors. Studying the power balance between different types of companies involved in the circular economy is thus fundamental to understanding its history.
Réseaux sociaux