Cleanliness plays a vital role in any grocery store or food retail business, not only for the customer experience but also for food safety...
An approach based on clear attributes
Rather than broadly labeling a product as “eco-friendly,” Carrousel highlights specific environmental attributes, clearly identified on each product page.
These attributes help better understand how a product may have a lower impact, depending on its use, end-of-life and the recovery streams actually available here.
On our website, these products are identified with a green icon, and their attributes are presented transparently.
Understanding environmental attributes
The main attributes highlighted by Carrousel are defined based on rigorous criteria, adapted to Quebec and Canadian realities.
Recyclable
A packaging is considered recyclable by Carrousel when concrete recycling streams exist in Quebec and Ontario, and when the material can effectively be reintroduced into a production cycle.
Although, since 2025, most containers can be placed in the recycling bin, this does not guarantee that they will actually be recycled.
Compostable
A product is identified as compostable when it is accepted in organic waste collection programs in at least two of the following cities: Montreal, Quebec City and Sherbrooke, based on the “Ça va où ?” app (March 2025). Applicable processes may include:
- composting
- biomethanization
Acceptance varies by municipality. It is always recommended to validate locally.
Made from recycled materials
Some products contain recycled content:
- post-consumer (from products that have been used and discarded)
- pre-consumer (industrial scrap or materials not placed on the market)
This information is specified directly on product pages.
Reusable
In the absence of an official Canadian standard, Carrousel considers reusable products to be those designed to be used and washed multiple times without significant deterioration.
Biodegradable
Products identified as biodegradable have been tested according to OECD 301D, demonstrating that at least 60% of the material breaks down within 28 days under controlled laboratory conditions.
EcoLogo Certified
Some products carry the EcoLogo certification, confirming that they have undergone scientific testing and independent audits demonstrating reduced environmental impact according to recognized standards.
Right-sized packaging: going beyond appearances
Choosing lower-impact packaging cannot be reduced to a single attribute. Depending on the context, a recyclable product may sometimes have a better overall impact than a compostable alternative, and vice versa. To explore this further, the Eco-Innov Centre partnered withCIRAIGto examine life cycle analysis (LCA).
Webinar – Right-sized food packaging: what does life cycle analysis reveal?
What if the “right” packaging isn’t always what we think?
This webinar, led by Anne-Marie Boulay, professor at Polytechnique Montréal and Executive Director of CIRAIG, provides practical insights to compare the real impacts of packaging based on its full life cycle.
Available in French only.
Need guidance?
Because every situation is unique, Carrousel experts are here to help you:
- compare your options
- understand real impacts
- choose solutions adapted to your operations