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Refill is experiencing a renaissance
Thomas Reiner | 28.01.2021
The renaissance of refill is the logical outcome of efforts to reduce high volumes of packaging. Procter & Gamble will introduce a system of reusable and refillable aluminum bottles in Europe in 2021. The move is further evidence of the huge market shift towards refill.
Procter & Gamble will introduce a system of reusable and refillable aluminum bottles in Europe in 2021. Part of the system will also include a recyclable refillable plastic pouch. With the system change, the company aims to reduce the use of virgin plastic by around 50 percent and make all shampoo and conditioner bottles fully recyclable. The move is further evidence of the huge market shift towards reusables. The renaissance of reusable and refill are the logical consequence of the effort to reduce high volumes of packaging.
Specifically, P&G Beauty’s promotion includes the Head & Shoulders, Pantene Pro-V, Herbal Essences and Aussie brands. The reusable bottle will be made of 100 percent aluminum. It will be supplemented by a recyclable plastic refill pouch. Compared with the standard shampoo bottle used to date, the company says this will result in a reduction in plastic consumption of around 60 percent. 300 million bottles made of new plastic are expected to be saved each year as a result.
Compared to the 2016 benchmark, Procter & Gamble hopes to reduce the use of virgin plastic by 50 percent as early as the end of 2021. Part of the plan is also to make all shampoo and conditioner bottles fully recyclable.
We’ve pointed out the vigorous renaissance of reusables at the expense of disposables on our blog before. Procter & Gamble’s system change is further evidence of the huge market shift. The fact that the new reusable packaging is fully recyclable is a necessary prerequisite in times of circular economy. Without recyclability, even reusable packaging cannot be truly sustainable.
The refill principle, in which the consumer independently refills the reusable packaging via refill bags or refill stations, is a logical component of reusable packaging. Refill pays into the effort to minimize the much-criticized, high volume of packaging, which is perceived as too high.
