Environmental NGO WRAP has unveiled a new reusable and refillable packaging guide for UK retailers and brands. It aims to help businesses assess their current packaging portfolio and identify opportunities to move away from single-use plastics to reusable and refillable packaging.
WRAP stated that recycling alone will not solve the impacts linked to excessive product packaging, and expanding the UK’s reusable and refillable portfolio is a crucial aim of the UK Plastics Pact – the first of twelve international Plastics Pacts operating around the world.
The NGO noted that it has secured funding to update the Recycling Locator tool on its Recycle Now website to include reuse and refill locations to help drive demand and encourage customer buy-in.
Helen Bird, WRAP’s Head of Material Systems Transformation, commented: “Reuse and refill systems are coming, and it’s critical that we collaborate to prepare and get it right. Standardisation and easy access are going to be central to provide a convenient and cost-effective service for shoppers. Our guide will help businesses consider their current packaging portfolio and identify the opportunities to move from single-use plastics to reuse and refill packaging on a range of products, and ditch disposable plastic as their customer’s demand. The updates to the Recycle Now tool, used by more than 1.8 million people a year, to incorporate reuse systems will help to give people practical information on where they refill locally, whether it’s a high street giant or independent.
“Reuse and refill will be a key element of The UK Plastics Pacts goals as we consider the next phase of the industry agreement, providing a forum for industry to convene in a pre-competitive space.”
Earlier this month, Asda revealed that it was ending store trials of refillable product stations due to “operational issues and commercial challenges”.
NAM Implications:
- For those on the recycling path, good to have a centralising facility…
- …to encourage standardisation and minimise overlap…
- …but especially a means of sharing learnings.
