Introducing a groundbreaking partnership to tackle single–use packaging

The innovative solution consists in a ‘buy anywhere, return anywhere’ reusable packaging platform that works for various products across brands, categories, and retailers. 

It provides a hassle-free experience for consumers to buy consumer goods (such as cleaning and beauty products, etc.) in returnable packaging in exchange for deposit. The customer takes the product to use at home and then returns once empty in registered drop-off points. The empty packaging is then collected, washed & sanitised, refilled, and put back in supermarkets for new consumers to use. 

After a successful pilot launched earlier this year in 6 M&S stores across 10 homecare products (which have seen rate of sales and return rates exceeding target, and in some cases even exceeding that of the single-use equivalent product!). The project is now ready to expand to more stores and more categories of products in the next 6 months!

Because of the size of the issue: Supermarkets alone are estimated to use around a whopping 114 billion pieces yearly. We believe only a joint initiative involving all stakeholders can successfully tackle the impact of single-use plastic waste produced by brands, supermarkets, and retailers. 

Because we need to remove barriers for consumers: We know that the reuse market, while growing, remains small. Most of the reuse pilots are ‘self-refill’ or ‘refill-in-store’ model, requiring consumers to bring their own containers, which has so far been met with limited success for retailers. This returnable system aims at reducing those barriers whilst significantly reducing single-use packaging.   

Because we need to drive an accessible and global movement: The collaborative approach will enable to scale a returnable model up so that it can be widely accessible across the UK. With the appropriate accessible model the intention to buy is there: 69%* of UK respondents indicated they are likely or very likely to try products in returnable packaging if they are available where they shop.  

Because we need a viable solution: By developing a fully circular and collaborative model, the platform can benefit to all stakeholders, accounting for every aspect of the supply chain including packaging development, reverse logistics, washing and refilling, as well as the consumer behaviour change. That way, it can become a significant opportunity for all parties and help them avoid the growing financial and environmental impact of excess packaging, especially in the light of the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (EPR) policy.