A new report, released today by City to Sea and Re to mark World Refill Day, reveals packaging innovation could pave the way to making reuse the everyday choice of consumers in UK supermarkets.

Lack of consumer readiness is often cited as the reason for low investment in circular systems at scale. However, the new research revealed:

• Consumers demand is high. Intention to buy is there – 69% of respondents indicated they are likely or very likely to try products in returnable packaging if they are available where they shop, but lack of availability is preventing trial.
• Prefilled returnable packaging presents a significant opportunity for brands: Over half of respondents (53%) said they were more likely to buy from a brand that offered products in prefilled returnable packaging, rising to 84% among those that had previously bought products in returnable packaging.

• Consumers are unwilling to compromise on price. Six in 10 indicated that value for money was the most important criteria influencing their product choice.
• However, almost half of respondents are prepared to pay a deposit for a product that they buy in returnable packaging.

This new research brings together insights from behaviour-change consultants and campaigners, City to Sea, supply chain specialists Re (by Beauty Kitchen), and some of the biggest retail and grocery brands in the UK, along with insights from a first-of-its-kind, nationally representative consumer research project. The work has been part funded by UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging initiative, which helps consumers transition to reuse, and brands and retailers meet packaging reduction targets.

The research has been collated into a new report, ‘Ready to prefill? Market innovation to unlock growth in the market’, and provides for the first time, insight into current consumer perceptions, barriers and motivations in relation to pre-filled returnable packaging. The report outlines recommendations for brands and retailers to maximise the opportunity help them meet their waste reduction targets and save money in the future as we look ahead to Extended Producer Responsibility coming in and the associated costs this carries for retailers and brands.

The insights reveal that unsurprisingly during a cost-of-living crisis, consumers are unwilling to compromise on price, however, they are keen to adopt reuse systems to reduce waste, limit use of single-use plastics and decrease their carbon footprint. Supplying products in prefilled returnable packaging mitigates many of the pain points experienced by consumers when using refill-in-store models, especially in terms of ease, convenience and hygiene concerns. The experience feels more familiar to consumers compared to refilling their own containers and enables consumers to effectively carry out their shopping experience in much the same way as with single-use products, providing retailers and brands make the products available.  Consumers also perceive products supplied in prefilled returnable packaging to be better for the environment.

More information can be found here and the full report can be downloaded here.