Innovate UK’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging (SSPP) Challenge has announced that it is planning a new competition to fund projects that demonstrate the viability of retailing liquid products in refillable packaging at scale.

Due to open on Monday 18 September and run for 6 weeks, the new SSPP competition will provide grants of between £0.5m and £1.5m for projects that can demonstrate, at scale, a system enabling high volume/fast moving liquid products (including milk, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and sauces) to be purchased in refillable packaging – either already pre-filled or refilled in store.
 
Projects must start by 01 April 2024 and should end by 31 March 2025. In addition, bids must include at least one large retail chain and/or brand-owner as project lead or grant-funded partner, and the in-store pilot must include a minimum of five stores (although bids featuring more extensive pilots are actively encouraged) and include a pilot period of at least 6 months.
 
A Stakeholder Event will be held for potential bidders on 12 September in Birmingham. This event will provide delegates with the background and further detail for the competition and the support available to bidders from Innovate UK, and help catalyse collaboration and knowledge sharing. Places are limited, so interested parties should register as soon as possible. Click here to register for a place at the 12th September event.
 
A formal online Competition Briefing will also be organised, and registration details will be available on Innovate UK’s Innovation Funding Service website Innovation Funding Service (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk) once the competition launches.
 
For further information about the competition or workshop, please contact: sally.beken@iuk.ktn-uk.org