K-Market Puhakka finds boxes better for business

K-Market Puhakka is a grocery store in Turku, Finland. Their online shop is open 24 hours a day and they make daily deliveries of groceries and consumer goods to their domestic and corporate customers.

Challenge: Stronger and easier to use than plastic

Replace the plastic bags that K-Market Puhakka had been using with something durable, easy to carry, cost-effective and, as a bonus, made from recycled materials

The challenge was to find correct size of box which is durable, steady when stacked but at the same time light to carry and cost-effective. Recyclable material was an advantage as well!

Our Approach: Right size protects employees and products

DS Smith sat down with K-Market Puhakka  and together developed a box that is the right size, easier and faster to use than plastic bags, has lower total costs, simple to transport all while offering excellent protection to the breakable goods inside.

Result:

• Lower labour costs and faster fulfilment: the open-topped boxes are easy to fill and steady when stacked meaning a lot of goods can loaded quickly and safey.
• Faster deliveries as the boxes are easy to transport in the shop and at customers’ homes.
• Lower packaging costs as the durable boxes can often be used more than once.
• Improved environmental performance with the 100% recyclable boxes
• Higher profit margins as the superior protection of the boxes reduces breakages significantly
• Lower total costs compared to the plastic bags used previously