Lucy J Toms Photography
Rob Spencer
• GoUnpackaged is at the forefront of reuse and refill systems. How do these models contribute to the transition from a linear to a circular Economy?
Reusable packaging sits within a wider framework of The Circular Economy - where materials are designed to be reused rather than disposed of - and follows the principles of the Waste Hierarchy which shows the order of preference for actions to reduce waste: prevention, reuse, recycling, energy recovery (incineration) and then disposal (landfill).
Where packaging can’t be prevented (e.g. by selling products loose), there is an opportunity to switch into reusable packaging. Increasing the uptake of reusable packaging, in all sectors, is essential for reducing the total amount of packaging produced and consumed.
We support clients in the design of reuse and refill systems, most notably The Refill Coalition solutions; an in-store refill solution trialled by Aldi and an online consumer returnables solution trialled by Ocado Retail - both powered by reusable supply chain vessels which make the solutions truly circular. Our latest project looking at modelling UK grocery retail infrastructure requirements for reuse at scale, is aiming to support transitioning from a linear to a circular economy.
• Many businesses struggle to implement reusable and refillable packaging at scale. What are the key barriers, and how does GoUnpackaged help overcome them?
To date, most reuse pilots have been individualistic and not designed for scale, or wide scale supply chain adoption. Often reuse is seen as an “add on”, rather than part of a core business strategy. Our approach is to coordinate industry wide collaboration in order to firstly design the solution to be scalable from the outset, and secondly to achieve the scale necessary in implementation to effect real change. We have experience managing projects across multiple clients with different roles in the supply and value chain - with an eye for standardised solutions instead of mutually incompatible, bespoke solutions suiting only one party or sector.
• What role does consumer behavior play in the success of reuse and refill systems, and how can businesses encourage more widespread Adoption?
Behaviour change is often overlooked, but is absolutely key in adoption, and therefore success of refill and reuse solutions. A high level of messaging and communication is required at all stages of the shopping journey (pre-shop, shop and post-shop) to encourage the change of behaviour required - and customers need to understand why we want them to do something differently. Our customer research shows that customers do care about reducing their impact on the environment, so it is businesses’ job to make it as easy for them as possible.
• In what ways does GoUnpackaged ensure that reuse and refill solutions are not just environmentally beneficial but also commercially viable for Businesses?
Commercial viability is as fundamental as environmental benefit in anything we design or implement. Our intention is always to design solutions that can scale, as without that it won’t be possible to effect the mass change required. Building a scalable solution from the outset means that businesses can understand the point at which the trial or pilot becomes commercially viable.
Additionally the sales need to be of a sufficient volume to justify the implementation - The Refill Coalition solutions sales share compared to the single-use packaged alternatives has reached highs of 56% (in-store) and 43% (online) which is much higher than previously seen with refill and reuse solutions.
• Collaboration is key in a circular economy. How does GoUnpackaged work with stakeholders across the supply chain to create a truly closed- loop system?
GoUnpackaged’s role is to bring together organisations cross-industry in order to collaboratively solve the issue.
The Refill Coalition by its nature was a collaborative project which brought together retailers Ocado Retail and Aldi and supply chain expert CHEP in order to ensure the solutions were viable for all parties involved. Additionally, a collaboration of equipment suppliers was convened in order to design and develop custom equipment for the solutions.
Our latest project looking at the UK Grocery Retail Infrastructure requirements when reuse is scaled up also has brought together an advisory panel spanning industries of retail, waste management, government, plastics manufacturing, logistics, and trade bodies.
• Some argue that reusable packaging requires more resources to produce and transport. How does GoUnpackaged address these concerns and ensure net positive environmental impact?
The independent LCA conducted on the Refill Coalition solutions by Eunomia Research and Consulting shows that at scale all the products in the trial (except for the oats in an un-lined paper bag) performed better environmentally than the single-use packaged alternatives. The products in the trials included cereals, oats, pasta, rice and laundry liquids - and the LCA measured against all impact measures. Concerns about the complexity of environmental impact and the possibility of unintended consequences are valid, but unfortunately there has been a lack of solid evidence to back up beliefs on both sides of the debate, and we at GoUnpackaged are dedicated to improving our collective knowledge in this area so that decisions can be based on facts rather than beliefs.
• Legislation around packaging waste is evolving rapidly. How does GoUnpackaged help businesses stay ahead of regulatory changes and implement long-term circular solutions?
As an organisation we stay close to developments in the regulatory landscape in order to ensure we are aware of the impacts to our clients and partners. Whether in the UK, Europe or as part of the Global Plastics Treaty - countries are implementing policies focused on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) designed to reduce waste and make businesses pay the full cost of dealing with the waste arising from their packaging - as such, it will become increasingly more expensive to place single-use plastic packaging on the market so businesses must develop alternatives. Additionally one of the GoUnpackaged Directors is now on DEFRA’s Circular Economy Taskforce.
• Looking to the future, what innovations or trends do you see shaping the reuse and refill landscape, and how is GoUnpackaged positioned to drive this change?
Despite many pilots and trials, widespread mass adoption of reuse and refill systems is still to come. Over the next 5 years we predict there will be a large increase in reusable packaging washing providers including developments in the washing technology to further improve and optimise the process. Developments to optimise reverse logistics will become crucial in order to move the large volume of reusable packaging units required to move to a more circular economy - which is part of what our UK grocery retail infrastructure project is currently assessing. Our experience of developing reuse & refill solutions - including supporting retailers to design a stringent wash protocol, places us perfectly to drive forward this change.
• With your extensive experience in supply chain innovation and pooling services, how do you see circular supply chains evolving, and what key factors will drive their success in the coming years?
As we collectively clarify our understanding both of the feasibility of existing circular supply chain products and services and the shape and cost of incoming legislation, we hope to facilitate industry adoption of circular practices which drive environmental benefits while avoiding unsustainable economic strain on producers and the public. As more and more companies adopt these models, service provision in the sector will mature and become more efficient, further driving down costs. And as these circular models become more efficient, they tend to further reduce waste at the same time. At the same time, the public needs to be shown how and why such change benefits the environment and the economy, so they can accelerate its growth by supporting the products and services which act first to drive the positive change.
• Having led strategy and innovation for major logistics companies, what are the biggest challenges businesses face when transitioning to circular supply chain models, and how can they overcome them?
The biggest obstacle to this sort of change is the uncertainty gap between what we do now and the efficacy and feasibility of the multitude of mooted environmentally beneficial solutions. Any potential change needs to consider the shift in consumer behaviour, as well as the supply chain and production processes to deliver the change. At smaller scale, benefits will not become immediately apparent - but with a comprehensive strategy driven by a compelling fact base and clear leadership from both government and industry, the short term change management challenge can be met to deliver lasting impact.