Copenhagen Tests Reusable Lunch Packaging in Schools

Building on an initial pilot, Copenhagen is now launching an extended trial to replace single-use lunch boxes with reusable, trackable containers in four schools, aiming to cut waste and support the city’s climate goals.
Photographer
The City of Copenhagen

The City of Copenhagen is taking a step towards greener school lunches. As part of the EU Interreg Baltic Sea Region project Change (K)now! the city will pilot reusable and trackable food packaging in five schools, with the potential to expand citywide, beginning January 2026. The ambition and hope is to gradually expand the system to all 50 schools if its financially feasible. 

Currently, the city’s school lunch program, EAT, serves around 6000 meals daily using more than 1.5 million pieces of single-use packaging each year. The pilot aims to reduce waste, lower environmental impact, and enhance the dining experience for pupils. 

The reusable containers will be equipped with tracking stickers, and a tracking device in the central kitchen’s dishwasher will monitor their use, providing data to help assess the project’s effectiveness. The initial four schools taking part are; 

  • Lergravsparkens Skole,
  • Sortedamskolen,
  • Holbergskolen,
  • and Vesterbro Ny Skole 

Following a market assessment, the City of Copenhagen has contracted with Plant2plast, who will supply the packaging, tracking devices, and data from the tracking devices.  

Photographer
The City of Copenhagen