Tesco brings zero-waste shopping trial to 10 stores
Tesco customers can now buy products in reusable packaging
Last updated 15th Sep 2021
Ten Tesco stores in the East of England are allowing customers to buy products in reusable packaging that can be returned when finished. The reusable packaging is then cleaned, refilled, and used again.
Tesco is introducing Loop in-store following a year-long online pilot that allowed customers to order and return products in reusable packaging to and from their doorstep.
Ken Murphy, Chief Executive of Tesco Group, said: "We are determined to tackle plastic waste and one of the ways we can help is by improving reuse options available to customers.
"Bringing Loop to our stores is a significant milestone in this journey. With 88 everyday products available, we're giving customers a wide range of options and we'll learn as much as we can from this to inform our future packaging plans."
At the checkout, customers can pay a fully-refundable deposit fee on each piece of packaging, ranging from 20p to £5.
When the empty item is returned to a collection point in Tesco, customers can then claim their refund through the Loop app.
Those wishing to opt for reusable packaging visit the Loop fixture in the store and add the products they want into their trolley as a part of their shop.
There is also no need for customers to bring in their own containers, as the Loop range comes pre-filled.
Loop sorts and professionally cleans the product packaging following health and safety standards so it can be refilled by the manufacturer. Each container can be reused a minimum of 10 times.
Brands included in the service include Bisto, Brewdog, Bulldog, Carex, Coca-Cola, Ecover, Fever Tree, Finish, Good4U, Heinz, Mud House, Naked Noodle, Original Source, Persil, Quaker Oats, Radox, Simple, Sipsmiths, and Tetley.
Tom Szaky, Founder and Chief Executive of Loop and TerraCycle, said: "The consumer reaction to Loop in these first Tesco stores will prove pivotal in refining the Loop offering and ultimately we hope to scale reuse across more stores and the number of product lines available."
Tesco has also included 35 own-brand essentials in the range, such as pasta, rice, oil, and sugar, with more products to be added throughout the year.
Tesco and Loop are claiming that if customers in the 10 stores switched their recyclable tomato ketchup, cola and washing-up liquid bottles to the refillable Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Coca-Cola and Ecover alternatives, the packaging would be used more than 2.5 million times a year.
Sue Davies, Head of Consumer Protection Policy at Which? added: "Our research shows there is demand and savings to be had for consumers who switch to refills and it's positive to see Tesco expand its zero-waste online shopping trial to stores in the east of England.
"Brands and supermarkets need to make refillable products more widely available to customers. Clearer labeling should also be provided on all grocery products so that people know how they can responsibly dispose of the items they use."
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