As part of its shared mission to fight single-use plastic packaging waste, the UK Refill Coalition has this week launched a new pilot at Aldi UK’s Solihull store.
Refill is seen as a key component in tackling single-use plastic packaging waste. It’s estimated that if every household in the UK refilled just one item per week, it would eliminate over 1.4 billion items of single-use packaging every year.
The Refill Coalition – a group consisting of Aldi UK, Ocado Retail, and the supply chain solutions company, CHEP and convened by GoUnpackaged in 2020 – will pilot an innovative reusable bulk vessel that has been developed to deliver refills at scale for key food staples and household products.
The Coalition has partnered with leading global manufacturers, Berry Global, DIGI, and Eden and Trade Fixtures who have supplied new equipment to create the solution and is supported by UKRI’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge fund, delivered by Innovate UK.
The Coalition’s vessel will facilitate three key new solutions, including an in-store refill system for dry goods, launched with Aldi this week; a tareless weighing system and liquids dispenser to be launched next year; and a bulk home delivery refill solution to be launched by Ocado Retail early next year.
The in-store solution will replace current bulk dispensers with reusable vessels located at a refill station that can be filled and shipped with the product. It’s designed to become a global standard, meaning the solution can be used by any supplier or retailer, reducing costs, food waste, and increasing the number of store types that can sell refills.
It’s hoped that this will enable fast adoption by industry to make refills available to every customer in the UK.
Research shows that 67% to 85% of UK adults would try refilling if it was available in a mainstream supermarket, across all demographics, spend profiles, and locations. Meanwhile, 73% of online shoppers said they’d be willing to try refill as an option.
The Coalition will eventually roll out an online refill option sending a pre-filled vessel – filled by the supplier and shipped to customers – alongside the rest of their Ocado order. These vessels can be returned to the Ocado driver when empty.
“We’re delighted to be launching this new refill solution – initially into Aldi, followed by Ocado Retail’s online launch early next year – a system we’re proud to have worked on for over three years to bring to market,” said the Refill Coalition in a joint statement.
“As a Coalition, we share the mutual objective of reducing single-use plastic packaging and believe the solution we have developed presents a landmark opportunity for us to make a step change in the commercialisation of refills which we know can play a significant role in the reduction of single-use plastic packaging.”
Luke Emery, plastics and packaging director at Aldi, said: “We are pleased to have installed the first in-store refill solution as part of the Refill Coalition in our Solihull store. We are continuing our work to reduce single-use plastics and packaging, and making unpackaged product options more commonplace for our customers is a key part of this.”
Paul Davidson, director of the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge, added: “We are delighted to be supporting this collaborative, full supply chain initiative that is working to develop a complete solution for refill in the grocery sector.
“With the launch of Aldi UK’s first in-store trial, and more to come, the Refill Coalition is making a major contribution to the mainstreaming of refill and giving retailers and consumers an easy and convenient refill solution to help reduce single-use packaging.”
