How refillable packaging is changing the retail landscape

Around the world, retail companies are addressing the issue of packaging waste. Many global brands are switching to reusable or eco-friendly packaging materials that can be refilled, such as aluminum bottles, compostable wrappers, and recycled plastic pumps.

Leveraging reusable and refillable plastic is an excellent way to reduce single-use plastic.

Olay Regenerist Whip refillable packaging

At last year’s Sustainable Brands Conference in Detroit, P&G (Procter and Gamble) unveiled a new sustainable version of one of their bestsellers–Olay Regenerist Whip.

The company’s breakthrough Olay Regenerist Whip moisturizer now comes with a refillable pod that can be placed inside the moisturizer’s container when you run out of a product. The packaging for this container will also be eco-friendly and composed of 100% recycled paper. Olay’s Regenerist Whip moisturizer was a top seller for P&G, so since it was one of the brand’s best-selling moisturizers, they’ve decided to pilot a refillable version of consumer’s favourite product for a limited time in the U.S., and Canada.

“The ultimate goal is to find and adopt many more sustainable packaging solutions, and the refillable Olay Regenerist Whip package is the first step of that journey,” said Anitra Marsh, who leads the global sustainability task for P&G’s Global Skin and Personal Care brands, in a press release. Olay Regenerist isn’t the first refillable product from P&G – through the Loop Initiative, the beauty conglomerate. The firm has also produced refillable packaging for Pantene, Crest, Febreeze, Tide and more.

Source – L’oreal refillable bottles

P&G isn’t the only firm that is developing sustainable beauty packaging, though. Many other leading global brands, such as L’Occitane, MAC Cosmetics, L’Oréal, Kjaer Weis, Nestlé, Unilever and more, are making the sustainable switch.

Shopping sustainable – refillable packaging solutions

Canadian consumers who are keen to reduce their single-use plastic use will soon have a simple way to go green with a test by the innovative recycling company TerraCycle’s Loop. Canadians who live within 200-300 km of Toronto can now shop online for hundreds of top-selling consumer goods, such as Haagen Das ice cream. Those items are then shipped to your home, and once you need a refill, you can reschedule a pickup with Loop for your items to be cleaned and refilled. Loop uses revolutionary technology to turn waste PET plastic into  Dimethyl Terephthalate (DMT), and Monoethylene Glycol (MEG).

The world is ready and waiting for the positive change offered by sustainable companies, like the innovative firm Loop. Consumers are demanding truly sustainable choices – and are prepared to pay a premium for them. Loop’s DMT and MEG are monomers that are, in turn, polymerized into Loop’s PET plastic and polyester fibre made from 100% recycled content.

Love home and planet laundry detergent refillable bottle

Other sustainable retail solutions

Beyond implementing refillable containers, major retailers, such as Walmart, KFC, Subway, and Starbucks, are replacing plastic cutlery with wooden cutlery, using strawless lids, and increasing the amount of recycled content in packaging.

The bottom line

Consumers are ready to curb single-use plastic and reduce waste if brands offer accessible and sustainable alternatives to traditional packaging. Many leading global brands like P&G have started to pilot refillable packaging, and soon this form of packaging will be the status quo. To learn more about how we can help your brand become greener by implementing refillable and sustainable packaging, please contact us.