The UK is trialling the sale of fabric conditioner in reusable pouches from vending machines in a bid to reduce packaging waste.
Funded by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), and partners Asda, eziserv, McBrides and Unilever, the trial begins in Asda’s Barnsley store and will be rolled out across four other Asda stores.
The self-dispensing technology has been developed by eziserv with support from project partners McBrides, Oakdene Hollins and Unilever. The fabric conditioner will be piped from 1,000 litre, reusable containers from the back-of-store via overhead pipes to a dispensing point in the retail aisle. It allows customers to purchase concentrated fabric conditioner in reusable pouches that can be refilled up to 10 times, saving them money each time compared to the same volume of product in traditional plastic bottles.
The new concept in shopping will bring significant business benefits for retailers include carbon impact reduction across the entire supply chain, says WRAP. It also has the potential to free up in-store sales space and offer transportation and storage cost savings.
Dr Richard Swannell, director of retail at WRAP, said the trial could signal a radical change in the retail environment: “Reusable packaging offers us an opportunity to fundamentally rethink the retail experience. We have already seen positive responses from consumers in relation to carrier bag reuse and if this trial enjoys similar success, it could mark the start of a reusable revolution.
“The retail industry is watching this trial with a great deal of interest because there are clear opportunities for reusable packaging in relation to all manner of products ranging from laundry products to paint.”
Richard Garnett from eziserv said: “The dispense point and innovative new pack are simple, fun and easy to use. If this trial is successful the concept can be applied to a range of products.”
The trials will explore logistical and economic opportunities as well as assess consumer acceptance, with a final report to be published in autumn 2010.
