PragmatIC Semiconductor is leading a project to add radio tags to make plastic packaging reusable.

The TRACE (Technology-enabled Reusable Assets for a Circular Economy) project will use PragmatIC’s ultra-low-cost, flexible near field communication (NFC) technology to give reusable containers unique digital identities (UIDs) so that the packages can be efficiently and effectively returned and reused.

The project is part of the £30m InnovateUK Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging (SSPP) Challenge that is also funding for 17 other collaborative projects in packaging materials.

The UIDs will be used throughout the lifecycle of the packages: firstly, by all the users in the supply chain to track each item and provide detailed data across the complete cycle of recapture, sorting, cleaning and back-to-use of these assets, enabling new models for packaging-as-a-service.

The NFC tags can then be used by consumers to access their deposits or rewards, thereby building enduring relationships with brands and retailers.

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The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that at least 20% of single use plastic packaging could be replaced with a reusable alternative. This conversion to reusable models could be a $10bn market.