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.

Read more here.

Megan from GoUnpackaged was on Your and Yours today discussing all things refill & zero waste - from small independents to mainstream supermarkets.

Listen here (from 13.10)

GoUnpackaged was invited to the UKPP Annual Summit to present The Refill Coalition’s standardised solution for in-store and online in the Innovation Zone, as well as for Catherine to take part on a lively panel focussed on Scaling Up Reuse & Refill.

Many businesses are making great strides in the transition to a circular economy for packaging, in an environment overwhelmingly stacked in favour of single-use.

Read the full article here.

Now in its second year, the Awards recognise those who demonstrate a strong understanding of the environmental impact of packaging, while also recognising its vital role in protecting products.

The Refill Coalition won the Ambient Food category with the judges praising our innovative solution.

More info at https://environmentalpackagingawards.co.uk/

The Circular Economy Show is produced by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, one of the leading organisations driving a Circular Economy.

In this episode (149) of the Circular Economy Show, Catherine reflects on the goals of the Refill Coalition, the critical role of design in reusable packaging, and how we can scale these solutions for a more circular future.

Listen here.

GoUnpackaged and partners Aldi, CHEP, Digi and Eden Trade Fixtures were present at Reseau Vrac and New Era’s buzzing event this week - the only trade show dedicated to reuse & refill.

It was a pleasure to welcome existing and new clients in person to see and test the equipment which was well received.

Additionally the GoUnpackaged team spoke on a lively panel “Scale up mission: bringing reuse and refill projects to the next level 🇬🇧”

We’ll be back next year!

Packaging News attended our Open Days in Solihull to learn more about the solution.

Read all about it in the March/ April edition here.

Experts from the University of Birmingham, together with specialists from across different plastics sectors (including GoUnpackaged) have collaborated on a series of recommendations which calls on Government to take the initiative on finding solutions to the plastics problem.

The recommendations were published yesterday in a Policy Commission report, The Sustainable Plastics Policy Commission: Key findings for the UK government. Read the Report here.

Great panel at Sustainable Plastics Manchester in talking alongside our friends from Dizzie about the increasing role of reuse & refill alongside other waste management solutions.

Whilst the transition from single-use to reuse is certainly challenging, there are clear commercial, operational and environmental benefits from reuse & refill vs. single-use.

It was standing room only for our panel at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2024 looking at the project as a case study in how to create a scaleable refill & reuse model that works for everyone in the supply chain.

Ocado, CHEP, InovateUK and the GoUnpackaged team were on hand to answer a series of questions from the floor as industry colleagues from across the packaging value chain took great interest in the solution.

Over 40 stakeholders from leading retailers and brands, NGO’s and Govrnent came to visit GoUnpackged’s Refill Coalition Open Days in Solihull to learn more about the first full scalable refill system that:

• removes single-use packaging from retailers: both primary and secondary

• reinvents the supply chain - removing single-use packaging from the moment goods are produced at the factory to consumers' cupboards at home.

See www.refillcoaltion.com to find out more!

Thanks to the Decarbonizing Commerce podcast - we discussed our work with the Refill Coalition; the drivers and barriers as it relates to reuse/refill and some of the pending legislation in Europe and beyond.

Listen here.

Listen to Catherine talking about pioneering the refill system with Bruce Bratley, founder of waste management company First Mile on the First Mile Climate Heroes podcast.

Link to podcast here.

Catherine spoke at SPC Engage at the Science Museum on 7th December on a panel with John Lewis Partnership & Ellen MacArthur Foundation discussing the role of retail in scaling reuse models.

It was a lively debate looking at the necessary conditions - policy change, standardisation, the development of shared assets and leadership from business; as well as priority categories for refill (dry goods, liquid household and personal care products) and returnables (fast moving products across beverages, food cupboard, personal care and fresh food).

After contributing evidence, we were pleased to attend the Policy Connect/ All-Party Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group launch event for its new publication Unpacking the Circular Economy: Unlocking reuse at scale.  

The report which sets out five key policy recommendations which would support the UK to capitalise on the potential of reusable packaging products and systems to accomplish the UK’s circular economy ambitions.  

The report identifies a missed opportunity in the current policy landscape to prioritise reuse and calls for the Government to provide an effective long-term delivery plan for collection and packaging reforms which recognises the role of reusable packaging. Read it here.

Over 400 packaging and reuse experts came together in Utrecht on Monday 27th Nov at the Reusable Packaging Fair, organised by KIDV and Mission Reuse. We were invited to present our findings from The Refill Coalition and speak directly to retailers and partners.

GoUnpackaged was pleased to support this vital piece of research.

It was interesting to see that “in some applications, a certain level of scale and system efficiency is necessary to compete environmentally with single use. When comparing single-use flexible packaging to rigid, returnable packaging, returnable packaging only outperforms single use on GHG emissions and material use when a Collaborative Approach scenario is achieved” and to think about the role that #refill can play to tackle different product categories & use cases through complimentary systems.