Contrary to the belief, Germany does not diminish its carbon pollution at all. In reality, as they are closing their nuclear plants, they are massively opening new coal burning plants. Thus, their carbon production is quickly increasing even if they are developping renewables energies at the same time. Indeed, they now consume so much coal that they even import notable quantities from Canada and the USA !

The problem with plastic packaging is not that it is used but is that it ends up in landfills instead of being burned to generate electricity.

'schland!! :)
@Deres, not saying you're wrong but do you have sources?

Bulk packaging is nothing new, bringing your own grocery bags as well.
Works for most produce, even meats have been, and still are wrapped in wax paper.
European style of shopping smaller fresher, daily.
The real problem is not the recycling but the fact the food industry puts so much of into excessive amounts of plastic.
Remember glass milk bottles, and egg baskets?
Maybe it can spawn a new fashion trend, multiple pockets, cargo pants. Pay by weight, at each station, swipe your phone, card or NFC.

We should throw like a billion of these at America and then we should throw some at Africa

I was hoping this was an article about food waste from a grocery store.. After working in one for over 4 years, the amount of food that is just tossed into a garbage can is staggering. Chickens who were raised, butchered, spiced up, roasted and then put in packaging... only to be not purchased and thrown away after the 4 hour turn around. Complete waste of a life... we are so damn wasteful and not many realize this.... its not all about plastic folks....

The German carbon emissions doesn't quickly increase. There had been in steady decrease since the 1990. The only decrease was a SMALL decrease the last two years - and this is not due to shutting down nuclear but that gas is extremely coastly compared too coal. They will fix that problem with more expensive CO2 certificates.

Come to America, set up same here in US Rivals: Vons, Ralphs, Albertsons, Sprouts, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Bristol Farms, Gelsons ( for So CA). None offer products, produce like U do in your mode Set up store chain for America & Canada

"an article about food waste" Ryan, my partner and I just bought a 'Cloey' from Closed Loop Organics for our small cafe. She 'eats' all our edible food waste including bones within 24 hours. Cloey is only a baby, they have versions that can turn a tonne of organic waste into fertilizer per day. No more landfill for us. I agree that it's obscene that we aren't 'required' to do this like the South Koreans.

I would first like to take the opportunity to commend both Nick Levars/Gizmag for providing this venture the exposure it so rightly deserves, and also Sara Wolf/Miena Glimbovski for taking the rare and valiant initiative to implement a concept that is both ingenious and long overdue. From my experience, shopping in Germany is much more pleasant than here in the U.S. with many speciality shoppes like fresh bread makers, butchers, cheese shoppes and quainter grocery stores like Feinkost Böhm in Stuttgart and the famed Dallmayer in Munich. This concept could easily be adopted and even preferred among European consumers given the right set of circumstances (urban locations, competitive pricing, clever marketing, etc...). I have spent the past 20 years consulting international retailers and packaged goods companies alike on the implementation of IT systems for everything from customer marketing databases and applications to SKU rationalization and space management, and although the US market is prized as one of the largest, it is also a more difficult market in which to conduct business in many ways. Europe (Germany being the largest of the economies) is decades ahead of the US in global and environmental initiatives/thinking and also views/embraces change much more readily. In 2007, Tesco, the UK's largest retailer, tried to enter the US market in southern California & the Southwest with a $1.7B initiative called Fresh & Easy which focused on fresh product and reduced packaging, but they were confronted with several unforeseen obstacles including a soft economy, and a misconception of the US consumer. Needless to say, it was not a success. The 10"x6" packaging for 4oz. of Beef Jerky remains. I sincerely wish Sara and Miena much success and a rewarding reception to their concept. I am focusing my next move to be in or near Germany enabling me to visit my family more often, so the next time I am in Berlin, I will definitely spend time in their store.