Ocado Retail has extended its Reuse range into its liquid detergent and fabric conditioner products in hopes of reducing the amount of single-use plastics generated in consumers’ weekly shops.
Back in August, Ocado trialled the distribution of its pasta and rice products in reusable packaging. Since then, the retailer has reported that its reuse products have reached nearly 30% of the sales share of their equivalent single-use products.
In online reviews, the reusable pasta packaging has apparently achieved a 4.9-star rating, while its reusable rice packaging has achieved 4.8 stars. 100% of responding consumers are said to have recommended the products.
Additionally, the vessel return rate is said to increase week on week as consumers return their packaging with subsequent Ocado shops.
Now 2.7L bottles of Ocado Reuse Non-Bio Liquid Detergent and Ocado Reuse Clear Skies Fabric Conditioner are available in reusable packaging. The retailer hopes to help consumers cut down on single-use packaging in their grocery shops – positing that, if every UK household refilled one item every week, over 1.4 billion items of single-use packaging would be eliminated each year.
According to research from Ocado and Savanta, 72% of over 2,000 consumers express concern about the amount of single-use packaging waste generated when they shop for grocery products. One in three claim to choose retailers that offer refillable packaging options for pantry staples.
Additionally, 73% of consumers felt that more supermarkets should offer refillable packaging options. 50% supported its use for liquid laundry detergents and 46% for fabric conditioner.
In its recent media roundtable, Unilever reported that the refill mechanic is currently popular among dish wash brands due to its low price and simplicity; however, it acknowledges that the implementation of refill systems can be a slow process, emphasizing its focus on modifying or replacing its existing packaging materials with sustainability-minded alternatives in the meantime.
It also pointed out in an insights paper that, when it comes to home care brands, consumers prioritize functionality over aesthetics – yet these preferences are reversed when it comes to personal care products.
In other news, the UK Refill Coalition – of which, GoUnpackaged, Aldi UK, and CHEP are members – previously piloted an in-store refill system for dry goods at Aldi’s Solihull store and online. During this trial, the online consumer-sized vessels were pre-filled by the supplier and shipped to consumers with their Ocado orders; these could then be returned to the Ocado driver after use.
Source – Packaging Europe, 2024.
29th October 2024.
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