Dedicated dish washing and laundry detergent refill points to be available in cleaning aisles from end of February, with the potential to significantly reduce plastic and carbon emissions related to packaging
Following the retailer’s recent pledge to become Net Zero across its operations by 2040, Sainsbury’s has today announced a new trial of refillable Ecover stations for washing up liquid and laundry detergent.
From now, customers in Sainsbury’s Harringay superstore will have the option to refill selected Ecover cleaning products using bottles that can be used up to 50 times, with the potential to save over a million tonnes of plastic per year. The refill trial will also be extended to a further 19 stores later this year.
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said, “Refillable packaging is just one initiative we plan to trial this year and goes to show how a small change can make a big difference. We look forward to hearing feedback from the trial with a view to rolling out more widely across the estate if successful.”
Tom Domen, Global Head of Long-Term Innovation at Ecover, said, “As manufacturers, we believe we need to totally re-think plastic – how we make it, use it, re-use it and recycle it. At Ecover we want to challenge the idea of single use packaging and our disposable culture. This partnership with Sainsbury’s is an important step in kickstarting a Refillition® in the UK and realising our goal of making refills more accessible for everyone”.
The trial is the latest in a series of store initiatives aiming to reduce, reuse or replace plastic across the business’s operations, as well as reducing carbon emissions.
Last month, Sainsbury’s announced its commitment to become Net Zero by 2040, by taking measures across its operations in recycling, plastic packaging, carbon reduction and biodiversity among others. Sainsbury’s is also calling on its suppliers to take action and develop their own environmental goals over the coming years.
