The demand for reliable packaging data is growing rapidly. New legislation, including the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), calls for greater transparency throughout the chain. Therefore, the Floriculture Packaging Register (FPR) is being further expanded into a central source for recording and exchanging packaging information.
The Floriculture Packaging Register (FPR) is available to everyone and is now being populated by a growing number of packaging suppliers. The register allows packaging and its associated characteristics to be recorded, ensuring that this information is made available to the supply chain in a clear and efficient manner. Furthermore, the register is designed in such a way that new data can easily be added when required by legislation or market conditions.
Why is the FPR becoming increasingly important?
The introduction of the PPWR means that companies are increasingly required to be able to demonstrate what packaging they use and whether it complies with the applicable regulations. As a result, there is a growing need for a single central hub where packaging data is available to the entire sector in a reliable, up-to-date and reusable format.
Using the FPR, growers can easily add packaging information to their trade items in Floriday. Growers link packaging to the trade items in Floriday so that the correct information is available to customers and to meet (future) reporting requirements.
A new data field has also now been added to the FPR, enabling packaging suppliers to indicate whether a Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is available for a particular item of packaging. Read more about a DoC here.
What's coming up?
Over time, the Packaging Register will be further expanded with a number of new features:
- Work is continuing on adding the Declaration of Conformity and the underlying technical documentation. This should ensure that growers, buyers and other parties in the supply chain do not all have to set up their own separate solutions.
- In addition, a solution will be introduced for confidential or customer-specific packaging. Packaging suppliers can decide for themselves which parties are granted access to specific packaging information.
- Furthermore, as the floriculture industry operates internationally, the FPR is translated into English as the standard reference.
What can you do right now?
It is important for growers to link the correct VRS packaging to products in Floriday. Not all packaging suppliers have started doing this yet. Is a particular type of packaging still missing from the register, or are you wondering whether your packaging supplier has already entered all or some of the details into the FPR? Please contact your packaging supplier and ask them to add the packaging to the FPR.
Working together to develop an industry standard
Together with the FPR, we are working to establish a single sector-wide standard for packaging data. A reliable foundation that not only helps with future PPWR obligations, but also simplifies the exchange of packaging information between growers, buyers, suppliers and other parties in the supply chain.
The Packaging Register is a joint initiative of Royal FloraHolland, VGB (on behalf of FSI Versnellers), Floriday, the Floriday IT Expert Team, HSPI (United Packaging Suppliers) and Floricode. By working together, we are pooling our resources to improve efficiency and transparency throughout the supply chain and to support growers and buyers in meeting their sustainability commitments.
You can find further information about the FPR on the Floriday information page and the Floricode information page, amongst other places.
You can find more information about the PPWR at: PPWR.