Introduction

The supply of fresh food is being transformed: retailers are gaining increasing power and control from manufacturers, and the location and nature of production is evolving. In Drawing on primary research from the UK, Europe and the USA, this comprehensive course addresses the dramatic changes in modern packaging and logistics demonstrating international approaches to fresh food supply chains. This course will be useful as a reference for academics, as well as a valuable tool for operators.  

On completion of this course you should be able to:

• Analyze state of the art packing logistics for fresh food retailing, drawing on primary research carried out in Europe.
• Understand the changes and opportunities in modern fresh food supply chains and how to overcome the challenges.
• Recognize the effect of packaging on the whole supply chain is significant, and discuss valuable lessons to be learned from the volume, not only with regard to packaging, but also in managing change within organizations.
• Define the benefits to be gained from adopting new techniques.
• Understand how to successfully implement those techniques.
• Apply contrasting approaches and a breadth of perspectives from across Europe, global case studies with supporting photographs.

Course Outlines

Packaging logistics and fresh food retailing: an introduction

• Logistics: why bother with what goes on behind the scenes?
• Packaging: how am I supposed to know there is a missing link?
• Change management: life is too busy to waste time thinking!

Retail leadership in fresh food channels

• Culture and retail consumers
• Retail locations and outlets
• Shopkeepers and retail managers
• Product sourcing and distribution
• Business relationships
• Merchandising and selling
• Change in food retailing

Fresh food retail logistics

• The logistics task
• Retail logistics transformation
• Temperature controlled supply chains
• Retailers' leadership of logistics

Packaging and fresh food

• The purposes of packaging
• The packaging industry: structure and dynamics
• Returnable packaging
• General packaging principles
• Retail logistics packaging
• Fresh foods applications

Packaging logistics decision matrix: change management

• Retailing, logistics and packaging change
• Managing organization change in the supply chain
• Packaging logistics decision matrix: change management
• The implementation stage

Major case studies

• Implementing the second-generation tray in Tesco's supply chain
• The development of a multi-party nationwide pool system in Sweden

Application case studies

• Case A: Kisten-Pool, Austria
• Case B: Versfust Project, Netherlands
• Case C: Tine Milk, Norway
• Case D: Packaging development in FMCG, Sweden
• Case E: Packaging and display, Sweden
• Case F: Fresh fruit salad packaging for airfreight, UK
• Case G: Packaging for air cargo, UK
• Case H: Mercadona, Spain
• Case I: Sainsbury - from cans to cartons, UK
• Case J: Reusable plastic containers, California

Change drivers in packaging logistics

• The evaluation and action planning process
• Lists of drivers, critical success factors, barriers and solutions
• Conclusions
• Appendix: Evaluation and action planning tables

Conclusions

• Packaging logistics in fresh food retailing
• Future perspectives