Calculating the economic advantages of returnable plastic containers
Plastic reusable containers, among other things due to a low purchase price and a long service life have a relatively quick payback period when compared to cardboard boxes,. The evidence is provided by cost comparison and amortisation calculations.

Key data:
Cardboard boxes | Reusable containers with lid | |
Transport costs per pallet | 50 Eu | 50 Eu |
Transport costs per empty pallet | 50 Eu | 50 Eu |
Number of full boxes/containers that can be transported on a pallet | 16 | 24 |
Number of empty containers that can be transported on a pallet (folded or nested) | 350 | 68 |
Transport costs per full box/container | 50 Eu/16= 3,13 Eu each | 50 Eu/24= 2,08 Eu each |
Working days per year | 220 | 220 |
Duration of a transport cycle | / | 28 |
Possible transport cycles per box | 1 | 200 |
Price of a box/container | 0,66 Eu | 16 Eu |
Costs per cycle | 0,66 Eu | 16 Eu/200= 0,08 Eu |
Costs for the retrieval of a box/container | 0 Eu | 0,74 Eu |
Number of shipments per day | 500 | 500 |
Number of shipments per year | 500 x 220 (days) = 110000 | 11000 |
Other costs:
Cardboard boxes | Reusable containers with lid | |
Number of boxes/containers to be purchased | 110000 per year | 14000 unique |
Investment costs in 5 years | 110000 x 5 x 0,66 Eu= 363000 Eu | 14000 x 16 Eu= 224000 Eu |
Assumed loss of containers due to theft, etc. | 5 % or 700 700 x 16 Eu= 11200 Eu | |
Transport damage to boxes/containers | 5000 Eu | 1000 Eu |
Storage | ||
Number of pallet spaces used for storage | 31 | 7 |
Costs for one pallet space | 30 Eu | 30 Eu |
Number of pallets with full boxes/containers per day | 31,3 | 20,8 |
Procurement | ||
Ordering costs for boxes/ year | 5 x 150 Eu= 750 Eu | 1 x 150 Eu= 150 Eu (Reordering of lost containers) |
Costs/revenue for waste disposal or recycling | 0,01 Eu per box | -0,10 Eu (revenue per box) |
Costs for sealing | 0 Eu | 8800 Eu |
Costs for assembly/ year | 110000 shipments x 0,25 Eu= 27500 Eu | 0 Eu |
Amortisation calculation:
Costs per cycle | Cardboard boxes | Reusable containers with lid |
Repackaging costs (if no Pick & Pack) | 0,063 Eu | 0 Eu |
Costs for box/container | 0,66 Eu | 0,08 Eu |
Seals / packaging materials | 0,05 Eu | 0,04 Eu |
Process costs for assembly | 0,25 Eu | 0 Eu |
Transport costs to the customer | 3,13 Eu | 2,08 Eu |
Transport costs for retrieval | 0 Eu | 0,74 Eu |
Loss of containers | 0 Eu | 0,004 Eu |
Transport damage | 0,045 Eu | 0,009 Eu |
Procurement costs | 0,007 Eu | 0,001 Eu |
Costs for waste disposal | 0,010 Eu | 0 Eu (There may even be revenue here, but this is not taken into account in the calculation) |
Load securing costs of the pallet per container | 0,125 Eu | 0,021Eu |
Storage costs | 0,009 Eu | 0,002 Eu |
Costs per cycle | 4,343 Eu | 2,976 Eu |
Costs per year | 110000 shipments x 4,343 Eu= 477730 Eu | 220 days/28 days x 14000 containers x 2,976 Eu= 327360 Eu |
Savings per year | 150370 Eu | |
Payback period | investment costs)/ 150370 Eu (savings per year) = 1,49 years around 1,5 years |