Tesco and Carrefour to trial refillable container scheme in bid to cut waste
Supermarket giants Tesco and Carrefour are set to trial a refillable container scheme in a bid to cut waste created by excess packaging and single-use containers.
The French and British retailers have teamed up with a coalition of major consumer product companies to pilot a new service to provide online shoppers with refillable containers.
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Under the scheme, customers will receive products in customised, brand-specific packaging that is collected, cleaned and refilled after use.
The scheme, known as Loop, was unveiled by recycling firm Terracycle at the World Economic Forum today.
Major brands including Procter & Gamble, Nestle and Unilever have signed up to the scheme, which will be trialled in France and the US in the spring and in the UK later this year.
Terracycle chief executive Tom Szaky said: “Loop will not just eliminate the idea of packaging waste, but greatly improve the product experience and the convenience in how we shop.
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“Through Loop, consumers can now responsibly consume products in specially-designed durable, reusable or fully recyclable packaging made from materials like alloys, glass and engineered plastics.”
The scheme’s organisers say their aim is to offer a zero-waste option for popular consumer products, while maintaining affordability and improving convenience.