February 2026

Tuesday 10
- 12:30 - 14:00

IGR-IAE Rennes

11 rue Jean Macé 35700 Rennes

Ille-et-Vilaine

Bretagne

[Séminaire Eat and Think] Using deposit systems to manage reusable packaging efforts

Name: [Séminaire Eat and Think] Using deposit systems to manage reusable packaging efforts
Start: 2026-02-10T12:30:00+01:00
End: 2026-02-10T14:00:00+01:00
Location: IGR-IAE Rennes

Présentation de Yann Bouchery professeur en Gestion des Opérations et Logistique, et membre du Centre d'excellence en supply chain à KEDGE Business School

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Tuesday 10 February, 12:30

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souleymane.laminou-abdou@univ-rennes.fr

CREM

Abstract :
Reusable packaging has emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate plastic waste, yet practical implementation remains challenging. Consumers face upfront deposit payments and the inconvenience of returning empty packaging, while firms incur additional costs related to collection and cleaning. This paper sheds light on a firm’s decision to introduce products in reusable packaging under a deposit– refund system. We model a firm that offers products in both disposable and reusable formats and jointly chooses the product price and the deposit fee for the reusable option. The model incorporates consumer heterogeneity in both product valuations and return-related hassle costs. We characterize the firm’s optimal pricing policy and identify the market conditions under which offering reusable packaging is profitable. We show that product price—beyond deposit fees—impacts the return rate of reusable packaging. A sufficiently high price enables the firm to segment the market by directing high–hassle–cost consumers toward the disposable option while offering the reusable option only to low-hassle consumers. This mechanism enables the firm to achieve full return rates without imposing large deposit fees. When consumers’ willingness to pay for reusable solutions is limited, the firm relies on this segmentation strategy and restricts the reusable option to low-hassle consumers. As willingness to pay a premium increases, however, the firm expands reusable offerings to high-hassle consumers, increasing adoption but reducing return rates and diminishing environmental outcomes. We also examine policy interventions aimed at promoting reuse and show that banning or taxing disposable packaging can unintentionally lower return rates for reusable packaging and undermine environmental benefits.

recherche, séminaire, gestion, management

February 2026

Tuesday 10
- 12:30 - 14:00

Additionnal information

Thématique

Recherche

Type d'événement

Séminaire

Réservé à la communauté universitaire

Campus

Rennes - Campus Centre

About the location

IGR-IAE Rennes

11 rue Jean Macé 35700 Rennes

Ille-et-Vilaine

Bretagne

UID

Licensor: CREM - Centre de Recherche en Économie et Management

Updated on February 9, 2026

Open data · Licence Ouverte 2.0