Food Coop
Project
Foodcoop BCN is Barcelona’s first cooperative, participatory, and non-profit supermarket, located in the Nova Esquerra de l’Eixample district and operating since 2022. Its members own the project, decide on purchasing criteria, and participate in the day-to-day running of the store, which is now open to the public. With over 1,200 products, mostly organic and locally sourced, it has committed to a wide selection of bulk items for plastic-free shopping, prioritizes small Catalan producers and cooperatives, and delivers its online orders by bicycle. With this project, it has taken another step forward: the reuse of packaging.
Goals
SDG 11 | Cities and
sustainable communities
A reuse point in the heart of the neighborhood
The pilot program transforms a neighborhood supermarket into a connected container return point, a model that reduces urban waste at the source and can be replicated in shops and markets throughout the city. The visit by Barcelona City Council and Mercats de Barcelona to Foodcoop BCN to see the system in operation confirms their interest as a solution for urban commerce.
SDG 12 | Production and
responsible consumption
From use and discard to use and return
Before the pilot program, the supermarket used between 180 and 190 single-use containers per day. With PaaSIoT, users borrow a reusable container from the Go Zero Waste app and return it to the station, which identifies it using its QR code. Each container is tracked throughout its entire lifecycle and is recirculated after professional washing and sanitization, in line with target 12.5 of reducing waste generation through prevention and reuse.
SDG 13 |
Climate action
Less virgin plastic and smarter collections
Each reuse prevents the production of a new container from virgin resources. Furthermore, the station incorporates sensors that measure its fill level in real time and send the data to the cloud, allowing for on-demand collections and avoiding unnecessary trips, thus helping to reduce CO2 emissions and logistics costs.
What was done?
Objectives of the activity
The project was developed within the framework of CESAM (Circular Economy and Sustainable Solutions for Agrifood in the Mediterranean), a European project that promotes circular economy solutions in the Mediterranean agrifood sector.
Between December 2025 and January 2026, we planned the pilot project together with the Foodcoop BCN team and the CESAM regional contact point, and developed a roadmap with the timeline, indicators, and data collection system. We also conducted a baseline analysis of the single-use packaging used in the supermarket, all of which was made of polypropylene.
We then purchased and labeled 300 reusable containers with QR codes, installed the PaaSIoT station in the supermarket, and trained Foodcoop BCN staff on how to use the device and the service. To raise awareness of the initiative among customers, we launched a communication campaign with 500 flyers, in-store posters, an explanatory video, and a press photoshoot.
The pilot program ran from March to May 2026. During these months, the Foodcoop BCN team accompanied users in the supermarket, while Go Zero Waste was responsible for technical monitoring, data collection, and impact assessment.
300 containers with QR codes, a PaaSIoT station and a trained team: this is how reuse started at Foodcoop BCN.
Results and impact achieved
PaaSIoT is now a fully operational solution. The pilot program at Foodcoop BCN has demonstrated that the complete system functions under real-world conditions: IoT hardware, traceability with QR codes and blockchain, a smart return station, and a gamified app with EcoTokens. Thanks to this validation, the technology has progressed from a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 4-5 to 7-8, one step closer to commercial deployment.
In these first few months, 80 users have joined the service, and 250 loans and returns of reusable containers have been completed, which is equivalent to approximately 250 single-use containers avoided. Furthermore, 100% of the returned containers have been properly washed and sanitized, guaranteeing food safety.
The project has also generated significant institutional, business, and media interest. In addition to visits from Barcelona City Council and Mercats de Barcelona, companies like Inedit have visited the supermarket to see the service in action, and six companies have expressed interest in adopting the solution. The pilot program was presented at Alimentaria 2026 and has received coverage in media outlets such as betevé, Crónica Global, SmartCitiesWorld, Residuos Profesional, and IndustriAmbiente. Today, Foodcoop BCN is a living showcase of reuse, and we invite other supermarket chains to experience the system firsthand.
Finally, real-world experience with users has allowed us to improve the service: we are incorporating Apple Pay and Google Pay and an option for cooperative supermarket members and company staff to use it without entering a credit card, which will make reuse even easier.
💡 Do you want to bring reuse to your business?
If you own a supermarket, market, restaurant, or cafeteria and want to move away from single-use packaging, at Go Zero Waste we help you implement a reusable packaging service with PaaSIoT, tailored to your establishment: from initial analysis to installation, team training, and impact measurement.
Project funded by the European Union under the CESAM project (Grant Agreement No. 101115023).
Share
Related news
Bodega La Peninsular
Bodega La Peninsular joins the Go Zero Waste movement with reusable containers for takeaway and for carrying away leftovers. Less waste, less refuse, and a greater commitment to the environment.