Catherine Conway from GoUnpackaged highlights the challenges and opportunities in scaling refill and reuse initiatives.

Consumers across the UK are actively seeking ways to combat the escalating plastic pollution crisis. The concepts of reuse and refill continue to capture public interest, promising a path toward a cleaner and more responsible future. However, despite this enthusiasm, UK supermarkets seemingly struggle to implement these concepts effectively in their operations. If you believe what you read, the vision of refillable aisles and reusable containers resonates with many shoppers, but the reality often falls short of expectations, leaving retailers uncertain about moving forward.

Surveys show there is an appetite for refillable options, suggesting that the main barrier isn’t consumer interest but rather the accessibility and scale of these solutions. As retailers navigate logistical hurdles, from supply chain issues to consumer education, the need for innovative thinking and robust infrastructure becomes increasingly clear. While there is no shortage of ambition within the industry, the journey towards meaningful change is fraught with challenges that must be addressed to ensure that these sustainable practices become mainstream rather than sidelined.

One platform fostering this dialogue is Packaging Innovations & Empack, where industry leaders converge to explore cutting-edge solutions in sustainable packaging and the growing refill and reuse movement. The renowned conference program at these events emphasises the importance of collaboration and innovation in addressing packaging challenges. By sharing insights and experiences, attendees can work towards overcoming the barriers that currently limit the widespread adoption of refillable and reusable options.

One person who is intimately familiar with both the potential and the obstacles of the reuse and refill movement is Catherine Conway, Reuse Lead at GoUnpackaged. With her extensive experience, she calls for further collaboration, consumer engagement, and learning from global examples to refine approaches in the UK.

“Building on the solution we’re trialling at two Aldi UK stores, which removes many of the previous challenges of in-store refill, we've been working behind the scenes on two further technical developments,” said Conway, whose organisation GoUnpackaged convened the Refill Coalition back in 2020. “The first is a "tareless" system, which would eliminate the current friction as the customer has to zero off the weight of their own container. The second is a liquid version, still using the same reusable vessel model behind the scenes, which is where the circular economy model comes into play. This would be used for non-food liquids like household cleaners and personal care products.”
As part of the Refill Coalition, Ocado’s online trial of reusable packaging for dry goods, launched in August 2024, achieved outstanding initial success. The trial featured Ocado’s own-brand rice and pasta, with both products performing three times better than anticipated. Customer reviews were highly favourable, with the reusable pasta rated 4.9 stars and the rice 4.7 stars, signalling strong consumer approval of both product quality and the sustainable packaging concept. Volume sales of these reusable products also exceeded expectations, accounting for 29% of the total sales of their single-use packaged counterparts. This suggests a solid consumer demand for environmentally friendly options even in the convenience-driven online retail space.

“This is different from in-store refills,” said Conway, “which involve customers bringing their containers and filling them up, the Ocado model is an online, direct-to-consumer, returnable system. The product is pre-filled into a returnable container, it's smaller but made of the same materials, and the concept is the same—a standardised vessel that all retailers and brands can use.”

The Refill Coalition calls these three-litre consumer vessels "mini-bulk," slightly larger than typical consumer packs while offering convenience as they are delivered directly to homes in the Ocado tote. Customers simply have to return the empties, and are supported by engaging consumer videos that educate them on decanting the dry goods into containers so they don’t need to hold on to the reusable vessels.

This approach has proven popular and has led to Ocado selling out of dry goods. Going forward, Conway is keen for the industry to further test the different models of reuse to determine which can scale best because different systems will work better for certain products, categories or applications.

Retailers recognise that merely introducing refillable options is not enough; effective communication strategies are essential to engage shoppers and encourage them to embrace this new approach. Conway is adamant that by proactively educating consumers about the benefits and logistics of reusable packaging, brands can create a smoother transition.

“I think it will always be challenging to implement a new way of shopping for consumers but we’re finding that if you create enough consumer communication around it—like ALDI and Ocado have done—it makes a big difference,” she said. “They’ve put lots of effort into consumer communications, including messaging outside the store to reach consumers before they even make their shopping decision, at the store entrance, and lots of POS (point of sale) material around the store.

“The goal is to help people understand that their actions make a difference. Instead of feeling hopeless, thinking that one action doesn’t matter, we want them to realise that if everyone started doing it, we could take a significant chunk out of the problem of single-use packaging. If every household refilled just one item a week, we’d remove 1.4 billion items of single-use packaging every year.”

Lessons learned
UK supermarkets are navigating a challenging landscape when scaling up their refillable offerings. Initiatives like Lidl’s recent pilot of laundry detergent refill machines and Asda's four-year trial of refill stores have faced closures due to operational and economic challenges. These setbacks highlight a broader trend: retailers are struggling to find the right balance between consumer demand and practical implementation.

“Lots of brands and retailers have done individual trials, which were important because we had to start somewhere,” added Conway. “Also, any trial shows consumers that reuse and refill are possible. We must remember that most mainstream consumers have never encountered a reuse or refill solution, so it's vital to keep those options visible.

“However, everyone has realised we must now focus on collaborative trials. For example, if you're going to solve the issue of milk packaging, you need the biggest dairy producers and retailers to come together to figure out how to do it. Collaborative projects, like the one we're doing with the Refill Coalition, will become even more important.”

Fail fast, learn fast.
The current media environment often amplifies criticism, overlooking the progress of those willing to experiment and adapt. It's disheartening to see innovators facing public scrutiny for their well-intentioned efforts, especially when they bravely tackle complex challenges requiring systemic change. This dynamic highlights a critical need for a more supportive discourse around innovation in sustainability.

Rather than viewing these efforts as failures, Conway believes it’s essential to recognise the valuable lessons they provide.

“It's a real shame that those who try to do something, where the solution they've implemented hasn't worked out, are slammed publicly by the media,” she continued. “The media landscape has been challenging because this is innovation. And it's not just innovation—this is system change. It's very, very difficult to get it right on the first go.

“A prime example is all the retailers who have tried in-store refills, many of which we were involved in. They were individual trials, and there were no broad reuse washing or logistics systems so they had to wash and manage everything at the store level, which added a lot of cost and complexity, making it unviable. That’s what led to the creation of The Refill Coalition solution. We built on those experiences to create a system where the washing is done upstream in the supply chain but this isn’t mentioned in the press who prefer a narrative that all refill solutions are destined to fail.”

As Unpackaged delves into a new piece of work looking at reuse infrastructure, it’s clear that a collaborative approach is essential for overcoming the challenges of scaling reusable packaging. This initiative addresses logistical concerns and invites dialogue about innovative solutions that can streamline operations. By engaging various sectors—ranging from manufacturing to retail—this research aims to create a unified framework prioritising sustainability and economic viability.

“Another initiative we're working on at GoUnpackaged, which we hope will help move the discussion forward, is infrastructure research funded by Innovate UK,” said Conway. “To put it into perspective, if we were to achieve 30% reuse, which is what NGOs & WRAP are calling for, and map that onto the estimated 90 billion single-use plastic packaging items placed on the UK market annually, that would mean we’d need to manage about 520 million items of reusable packaging every week. We would have to sell them, get them back, move them through a system, and send them back to manufacturers for refilling.

“This is possible. We know how to wash and refill things. We have a brilliant packaging industry, logistics companies, and waste management companies—so all the building blocks are there but we don’t have a working infrastructure to manage it. Our hypothesis at GoUnpackaged is that we need a plan if we're talking about this level of infrastructure change. We need to know what it looks like, how much it will cost to set up, and how much it will cost to run annually—just like we're doing with EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility), where we’re working to understand recycling costs every year. We must also consider how the regulatory environment can support better decisions for more sustainable packaging.

“We're hoping that this modelling research, which should be completed by March 2025, will contribute to the conversation about scaling up reuse. By clearly understanding what it will take to reach this level of scale, we can collectively work towards it. The idea is to envision what a high level of reuse could look like in the UK. We believe this will be a crucial part of advancing the conversation.”

Containing the excitement
One of the most encouraging aspects of the Ocado trial is the increasing rate of vessel returns. Customers are consistently handing back their empty vessels with each new Ocado order, showing an evolving commitment to the reusable packaging system. This behaviour is crucial to the trial's success, as it proves the practicality and convenience of a returnable packaging model for online shopping. Building on these results, Ocado plans to expand the initiative by introducing reusable packaging for liquid products, such as laundry detergent and fabric conditioner, in October, positioning itself as a leader in the shift toward sustainable e-commerce solutions.

Meanwhile, the in-store refill trial at Aldi UK is demonstrating significant consumer engagement and operational success. Across the trial stores, the loose products available via the refill solution are contributing up to 30% of sales within their categories, alongside their single-use packaged versions, illustrating the growing consumer preference for sustainable shopping options. From an operational standpoint, the equipment is efficient, with no reported downtime, and staff are finding it easy to manage, indicating that the system does not burden store employees. These operational smoothness and product availability is making the refill process seamless for both customers and employees, enhancing the overall shopping experience.

“When it comes to returnables, there are similar branding opportunities as with single-use packaging,” said Conway. “However, there needs to be standardisation across these packs to make reuse viable. With the Loop trial, we saw that if every brand has a completely different container, it becomes a logistical challenge. But it’s quite feasible to standardise around certain aspects.

“There can still be standardisation, much like there already is with aluminium cans. It’s about finding that balance where packaging can be standardised enough to optimise the supply chain and make reusables work at scale while still allowing brands to maintain their identity, which is crucial in the current supply chain.

“There are lots of great solutions and collaborations happening all over. That's why we're particularly interested in infrastructure research. Suppose there were a broader washing and logistics industry structure. In that case, all these new concepts—whether from startups or existing businesses diversifying into reuse—would have an infrastructure to plug into. I think that would accelerate innovation. If you’re a brand, retailer, or startup, or even an established business wanting to move into reuse, you have to figure it out on your own. You wonder: What are the washing standards? How will this work? How do I build a business case? We’re here to help our clients work this out, but once we achieve incremental scale, it will become easier for everyone.”

As the retail sector grapples with the pressing need for sustainable solutions, the insights of Catherine Conway shine a light on both the hurdles and the potential for innovation in refill and reuse systems. The path to meaningful change may be complex, but with continued collaboration, consumer education, and the development of robust infrastructures, there is hope for a future where refillable and reusable practices become the norm rather than the exception.

Conferences like Packaging Innovations & Empack play a vital role in this journey by bringing together industry leaders and innovators to share insights and best practices. These events foster crucial dialogue around the challenges of sustainability, paving the way for collaborative solutions that can drive meaningful change in the packaging and retail sectors.

As we look ahead, it is clear that addressing the complexities of reusable and refillable systems will require ongoing commitment and innovation from all stakeholders involved.