Norfa’s Open-Front Counters Cut Packaging Waste by Up to 50-Fold, CEO Says

Key facts

• Norfa CEO Dainius Dundulis says open-front counters generate 20–50 times less packaging waste than factory-packed alternatives.
• Customers buy about 2,000 tonnes of pork monthly from Norfa counters, accounting for 70% of fresh meat sales.
• Norfa operates 161 stores in Lithuania, with 68 featuring on-site culinary and confectionery departments.
• The Kėdainiai culinary center produces around 150 tonnes of over 60 product types each month.
• Nearly 130 Norfa stores have meat-cutting departments supplying the freshest meat directly to counters.
• Norfa has not raised plastic bag prices despite a surge in packaging material costs due to the Middle East conflict.
• Some competitors had to increase prices for heavier-packaged items because of rising material costs.

A Counter-Revolution in Retail

At Norfa, Lithuania’s grocery chain, the humble open-front counter has become a weapon against waste. By selling fresh fish, meat, cheese, and pastries from display cases rather than pre-packed shelves, the retailer says it generates 20 to 50 times less packaging waste per item. The claim, made by CEO Dainius Dundulis, challenges an industry that increasingly relies on factory-sealed packaging to extend shelf life. Dundulis points to a simple calculation: a plastic bag weighs less than a gram, while the factory box or tub used for the same product can weigh 20 to 50 grams. “When we sell from the counter, the customer takes home a bag. When competitors sell pre-packed, the customer takes home a box,” he said. The difference, multiplied across thousands of daily transactions, adds up to a significant reduction in household waste.

How Counters Outperform Packaged Goods

Norfa’s counters offer a wider selection than its rivals, particularly in smaller towns, Dundulis asserts. “The fresh fish assortment in smaller towns is the largest compared to competitors,” he said. Customers can buy precisely the amount they need — a few slices of cheese or a single portion of meat — avoiding the waste that comes with oversized pre-packed portions. This flexibility also reduces food waste. Shoppers can request a small quantity that will be consumed fresh, rather than letting leftovers spoil and end up in the bin. Dundulis noted that factory-packed meat is often flushed with special gases to preserve its appearance, a process that can mask age. “Meat with fewer cuts stays fresher longer and oxidises less,” he said.

Freshness as a Competitive Edge

Norfa has invested heavily in in-store production. Sixty-eight of its 161 Lithuanian outlets have culinary and confectionery departments that prepare salads, pastries, and other items on site. The chain’s central culinary facility in Kėdainiai churns out around 150 tonnes per month of more than 60 product types, including semi-finished goods. Nearly 130 stores feature dedicated meat-cutting rooms, supplying the adjacent counters with the freshest cuts. Dundulis said Norfa has earned a reputation as the most reliable and highest-quality meat seller. The chain’s customers purchase roughly 2,000 tonnes of pork each month, representing 70% of all fresh meat sold. Beef demand is rising, with an increasing share coming from 28-day dry-aged heifer meat stored in special in-store chambers.

Shielding Customers from Packaging Inflation

The counter model also protects shoppers from recent price shocks. The war in the Middle East disrupted oil and polyethylene supplies, driving up packaging costs by tens of percent. Some retailers were forced to raise prices on heavier-packaged goods. Norfa, by relying on lightweight bags for most counter sales, absorbed the cost without passing it on. “Our customers are not threatened by price increases due to packaging,” Dundulis said. He added that the approach also reduces waste upstream: when a customer buys several kilograms of meat from a counter, it is packed in a single bag, whereas pre-packed portions would require multiple boxes or tubs. The waste reduction can reach hundreds of times for such purchases.

Renovations Prioritise Larger Counters and More Variety

As Norfa renovates its larger stores, it is expanding culinary and confectionery production areas and installing bigger display cases. The goal is to offer customers nearly 100 different culinary items. Dundulis said the chain is also responding to shifting tastes: demand for chicken, turkey, and duck is growing, and some stores now offer lamb and veal. “When we renovate, we always create or expand the culinary and confectionery departments,” he said. The strategy appears to be paying off, as Norfa positions itself as a destination for fresh, customised food in an era of rising environmental awareness.

The Broader Implications for Retail Sustainability

Norfa’s approach highlights a tension in modern retail: the convenience of pre-packaged goods versus the environmental cost of their packaging. While many chains have focused on recyclable materials or lightweight designs, Norfa has opted to bypass packaging altogether for a significant portion of its sales. The model requires more staff — butchers, fishmongers, and pastry chefs — and more floor space for counters. Dundulis’s claims are difficult to verify independently, but the logic is straightforward: less packaging per transaction means less waste. As consumers and regulators increasingly scrutinise plastic use, Norfa’s counter-centric model may offer a template for other retailers seeking to reduce their environmental footprint without sacrificing freshness or variety.

The bottom line

• Norfa’s open counters reduce packaging waste by 20 to 50 times compared to pre-packed goods.
• The model allows customers to buy exact quantities, cutting both packaging and food waste.
• Norfa has not raised bag prices despite surging packaging material costs, shielding shoppers from inflation.
• The chain’s in-store production and meat-cutting departments ensure freshness and variety, with 68 stores having culinary sections.
• Monthly pork sales from counters reach 2,000 tonnes, making up 70% of fresh meat sales.
• Renovations focus on expanding counter space and product range, reflecting a strategic bet on fresh, unpackaged food.