Britain’s Tesco Joins Refillable Revolution With In-Store Trial

Britain’s biggest supermarket group Tesco launched a trial on Monday that allows customers to buy food, drink, household and beauty products in reusable packaging, part of its strategy to cut plastic waste.

Britons have become increasingly aware of the amount of plastic they use in recent years, with media documentaries particularly highlighting the dangers of plastic pollution to marine life.

In response, supermarket chains and consumer goods groups are increasingly testing refills in a drive to cut single-use plastics.

Through a partnership with Loop, the global reusable packaging platform, customers in 10 Tesco stores in eastern England will be able to buy products in reusable packaging that can be returned to stores when finished so it can be cleaned, refilled and used again.

A range of 88 products will be offered, as well as 35 Tesco own-brand essentials.

In June, Asda, Britain’s third-biggest grocer, extended its trial of a refill scheme after sales of several products in an initial pilot store outsold packaged alternatives.

Marks & Spencer, Morrisons and Waitrose have also been trailing concepts.

Tesco said it will add more products to its scheme throughout the year and the trial would be scaled-up if it proved successful.