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The case study presents the logistical and organizational challenges in the German beer retail market. It provides an overview of the market environment presents processes in the beer supply chain as well as describes governmental regulations regarding sustainable packaging solutions. In particular, it presents how a novel tray system for beer bottles introduced by Dutch IFCO Systems was tested together with the Hessenring branch of German retail chain EDEKA and a major German beer brewing group. This system promises significant advantages concerning handling, transportation and display of beer six packs in both the supply chain for filled bottles as well as returns of empty bottles. Within this setting the case study sheds light on different aspects of retail operations and supply chain management: Sustainable packaging, closed-loop supply chains, supply chain collaboration and green supply chain metrics. These topics touch different areas of management tasks, both strategic and tactical as well as requiring qualitative and numerical analysis.