Ocado Retail & UK Refill Coalition Launch First Major Online Reusable Packaging Scheme to Reduce Single-Use Plastics

THE INNOVATIVE REUSABLE PACKAGING SOLUTION REIMAGINES THE WAY CONSUMERS CAN SHOP ONLINE 

Ocado Retail has become the first major supermarket to pilot a new reusable packaging scheme, specially designed for online, in an effort to reduce the use of single-use packaging from customers' weekly shops.

The trial, staged across two phases, will use a reusable vessel, developed specifically to deliver food cupboard staples and laundry products at scale, with no extra cost to the customer. If every household in the UK opted to reuse just one item per week, it would eliminate over 1.4 billion items of single-use packaging per year.

The new reusable range will include frequently purchased items to reduce the use of single-use plastic on everyday items while providing the same quality and value. Phase One of the trial, starting in August, will include Ocado Reuse Basmati Rice 2kg and Ocado Reuse Penne Pasta 1kg. Phase Two, coming later this year, will add Ocado Reuse Non-Bio-Liquid Detergent 3L and Ocado Reuse Skies Fabric Conditioner 3L to the trial.

The reusable container is pre-filled with product and delivered to customers alongside the rest of their Ocado shop. Customers then return the empty container to their next Ocado driver. The containers are then collected from Ocado and hygienically washed before being filled again at the supplier. Each vessel replaces up to five single-use plastic items  and is designed to be used over 60 times, leading to a significant reduction in single-use plastic over time.

Research among more than 2,000 consumers undertaken by Ocado Retail and Savanta revealed that there is growing public demand to reduce the use of single-use plastic from grocery shops. 

Almost three quarters (72%) are concerned about the amount of waste generated by single-use packaging of grocery products, with one in three opting to use retailers that provide refillable options for their pantry staples. The majority of consumers (73%) also agreed that more supermarkets should offer refillable options, especially across essential items such as pasta (66%), rice (67%), liquid laundry detergent (50%) and fabric conditioner (46%).

While supermarkets are making steps to reduce plastic packaging, figures from this year’s Big Plastic Count estimate that up to 90 billion units of single-use plastics are sold by the UK grocery market each year.

Last year, the Government’s EFRA Committee report highlighted that “increasing the uptake of reusable packaging is essential for reducing the total amount of packaging consumed in the UK.” The online and in-store solutions developed by The Refill Coalition are a key step in creating a viable portfolio of standardised solutions that can work industry-wide.

As a founding member of The Refill Coalition and the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket, Ocado Retail’s aim is to lead on developing an industry standard for online reusable packaging that can be used by any supplier or retailer*. This will enable fast adoption by industry to make reusable packaging available to every UK customer. GoUnpackaged, the UK’s leading refill experts that convened the coalition in 2020, will manage the washing and logistics for Ocado Retail for this part of the trial.

The Refill Coalition has jointly made the following statement: "We are delighted to see Ocado Retail bring a direct to consumer reusable packaging solution to market. As a Coalition we share the mutual objective of reducing single-use plastic packaging and believe that the solutions we have developed present a landmark opportunity for us to make a step change in the commercialisation of reusable packaging which we know can play a significant role in the reduction of single-use plastic packaging.”

Simon Hinks, Product Director at Ocado Retail: "We’re proud to be the first major supermarket to pilot an online reusable packaging scheme. Most people understand the concept and know it works in a physical store but this trial brings the solution straight to customers’ doors. Our customers are already used to giving their bags back to our drivers for recycling - so this is a really sensible next step for us to help our customers reduce single-use plastic on products they buy frequently.”

Rob Spencer, Director at GoUnpackaged: “We are proud to have convened the Refill Coalition to enable the necessary collaboration to bring these new solutions to market. An industry-wide approach will lead to a reuse system that works for everyone in the supply chain and make it easier for shoppers to engage with reuse via online shopping. GoUnpackaged is delighted to be partnering with Ocado Retail to manage the washing and logistics of the consumer vessels for this trial.”

Paul Davidson, Director of the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging (SSPP) Challenge, which is delivered by Innovate UK and has co-funded the work of the Refill Coalition, said:
“Online retail offers a unique opportunity to develop and embed reuse and refill in our everyday shopping experience and we are delighted to see the Ocado Retail trial going live. The trial will provide the opportunity to explore how refill can be made convenient and habit-forming for consumers and empower them to make a real contribution to reducing single-use plastic packaging through their online shopping.”

ENDS 

NOTES TO EDITORS
The following products are available to Ocado shoppers in selected areas (please search ‘reuse’ on Ocado.com to see if we deliver to you):

Phase 1 launching in August:
●  Ocado Reuse Basmati Rice 2kg
●  Ocado Reuse Penne Pasta 1kg

Phase 2 launching later this year:
●  Ocado Reuse Non-Bio Liquid Detergent 3L
●  Ocado Reuse Clear Skies Fabric Conditioner 3L

*Since October 2023, Aldi UK has trialled the Refill Coalition’s vessel-based in-store refill solution in two stores and are showing promising results. Across the trial stores, the loose products available via the refill solution are contributing up to 30% of sales within their categories, alongside their single-use packaged versions.

ABOUT THE REFILL COALITION
The Refill Coalition was convened in 2020 by GoUnpackaged, the UK’s leading reuse & refill experts to bring together Ocado Retail, Aldi UK and the supply chain solutions company CHEP. Those involved are aiming to become the industry-standard for reusable packaging, taking the necessary steps to encourage nationwide adoption to consequently reduce plastic waste in the UK and are supported by UKRI’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge fund, delivered by Innovate UK.

ABOUT THE COALITION PARTNERS
Ocado.com (operated by Ocado Retail) is the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket, and is a joint venture between Marks & Spencer Group and Ocado Group. Reaching over 80% of the UK population, more than 1 million active customers benefit from an unbeatable range of around 45,000 products (including big-name brands, around 7,000 items from M&S and Ocado's Own-Range), unbeatable service with next-to-no substitutions, and the freshest produce. Every order is carefully packed in one of seven distribution centres using world-leading software and technology. Shopping is then delivered directly to customers using a network of regional spokes and fleet of delivery vans. Ocado developed the first grocery shopping app in 2010 and continues to innovate, offering customers the best possible experience. Ocado Retail is also responsible for Zoom by Ocado, its rapid grocery delivery service.

GoUnpackaged is the UK’s leading consultancy specialising in reuse & refill, helping clients across the supply chain to help reduce their single-use packaging footprint by transitioning to reusable and refillable packaging. Our multi-disciplinary team brings an unparalleled breadth of insight, knowledge and experience in making reuse a commercially and environmentally successful proposition.

At Berry Global Group, Inc. we create innovative packaging solutions that we believe make life better for people and the planet. We do this every day by leveraging our unmatched global capabilities, sustainability leadership, and deep innovation expertise to serve customers of all sizes around the world. Harnessing the strength in our diversity and industry-leading talent of over 40,000 global employees across more than 250 locations, we partner with customers to develop, design, and manufacture innovative products with an eye toward the circular economy. The challenges we solve and the innovations we pioneer benefit our customers at every stage of their journey.

UKRI’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK, aims to establish the UK as a leading innovator in smart and sustainable plastic packaging, driving cleaner growth across the supply chain, and delivering a significant reduction in plastic waste entering the environment by 2025. The Challenge brings together academia, the full plastic packaging value chain and other key stakeholders and supports the delivery of the 2025 UK Plastics Pact targets.

CHEP helps move more goods to more people, in more places than any other organisation on earth. Its pallets, crates and containers form the invisible backbone of the global supply chain and the world’s biggest brands trust CHEP to help them transport their goods more efficiently, sustainably and safely. CHEP created one of the world's most sustainable logistics businesses through the share and reuse of its platforms under a model known as ‘pooling’ and primarily serves the fast-moving consumer goods (e.g. dry food, grocery, and health and personal care), fresh produce, beverage, retail and general manufacturing industries. CHEP employs approximately 11,500 people and believes in the power of collective intelligence through diversity, inclusion and teamwork. CHEP owns approximately 353 million pallets, crates and containers through a network of more than 750 service centres. As part of the Brambles Group, CHEP operates in 60 countries with its largest operations in North America and Western Europe.

CONTACT For further press enquiries, or to arrange interviews with the Coalition, please contact Megan Adams pm@gounpackaged.com 07780 954982 www.refillcoalition.com www.gounpackaged.com/solutions