Photo of Elena Jiménez Romanillos

Elena Jiménez Romanillos

PhD student

Design researcher at Linköping University exploring how consumers navigate packaging-free and traditional grocery systems to understand the real environmental impact of everyday shopping habits.

Presentation

Did you know the average household discards over 70 kilos of food annually? That waste includes not only the food itself, but also the energy and resources used to produce and transport it.

Although packaging is often criticised for its environmental impact, it is important for preserving food and preventing spoilage.

​​My research at Linköping University explores how consumers navigate between packaging-free and conventional grocery systems, focusing on the real environmental impact of their everyday shopping choices. I research factors such as the number of shops visited, modes of transport, and how well people manage food quantities to avoid waste.

​​I aim to understand whether packaging-free systems are environmentally sustainable and, if so, under which conditions. By looking at everyday routines and choices, I explore when and how packaging-free systems actually work.
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​As a designer, I aim to contribute to the development of grocery systems that are both practical and efficient, with a strong focus on environmental sustainability. This may include rethinking store layouts, packaging solutions, and purchasing practices to support waste reduction and promote more sustainable shopping habits.

Publications

2025

Elena Jiménez Romanillos (2025) Unboxed Choices: Studying (Un)Sustainable Behaviour in Packaging-free Food Systems

2024

Elena Jiménez Romanillos, Wanjun Chu, Renee Wever (2024) Take out (the) packaging: Analysis of a Returnable Packaging Service
Elena Jiménez Romanillos, Helen Williams, Renee Wever (2024) Unpacking Behaviours: A Literature Study and Research Agenda on Consumer Behaviour in Packaging-Free Systems Packaging technology & science, Vol. 37, p. 821-840 (Article, review/survey) Continue to DOI

Research

Teaching

I am part of the courses:

  • Studio 1 (TMKA08)

  • Design for sustainable everyday life (TMKA10)

News

Coworkers

Organisation