AMCOR is to continue producing bespoke containers for the Refill Coalition’s ongoing work with Ocado Retail.
The project allows Ocado Retail to deliver online orders for everyday products such as pasta, rice, and washing liquid in refillable packaging. Consumers are encouraged to hand back empty containers to their driver on the next delivery, allowing for them to be cleaned and prepared for reuse.
The announcement to continue the trial that began in 2024 coincides with a new report published by the Refill Coalition’s facilitator, GoUnpackaged, which used the trial data to determine the potential benefits of switching to a reuse model.
Amcor designed and manufactured the 2kg and 3kg refillable containers used in the project. The 2kg vessel features a large opening ideal for filling with dry foods. The narrower opening of the 3kg container is designed for liquid filling. The aim is for the container to become the standard allowing other businesses to deliver efficiencies and scale.
The final containers were the result of considerable engineering expertise and close collaboration with Ocado Retail and the Refill Coalition from original brief to finished design. The containers’ shape had to meet the differing environments across its usage cycle – from compatibility with filling systems, to delivery, to at-home storage. Crucially, they had to be free from trap points to enable effective washing once returned to Ocado Retail, ahead of refilling.
The pragmatic design was developed to maximise space in the delivery case. A square base is incorporated with soft rounded shoulders to enable correct rinsing and emptying. A handle was designed to make handling comfortable for the consumer as well as anyone manipulating the container from filling through to delivery.
The choice of material was equally important, to optimize safety and hygiene for food contact, as well as being able to withstand a hot wash. Amcor worked on a thicker wall to ensure that the container was robust and resistant to the washing process. This enables multiple reuses without weakening the packaging.
“We’re proud to be involved in a project that looks to redefine the nature of packaging for the future,” said Florent Souty, general manager, blow moulding specialties (BMS) at Amcor and a member of the Refill Coalition’s advisory panel. “By proving the potential for large-scale infrastructure, and planting the seeds for changes to consumer behaviour, we can support the latest findings from GoUnpackaged and its partners in the Refill Coalition.”
GoUnpackaged’s report – titled A 30%+ reuse future for the UK – indicates that moving to 30% reuse in the UK retail sector will see a 95% reduction in CO2e emissions and £136 million saving a year thanks to reduced extended producer responsibility for packaging (pEPR) costs.
The continuation of the trial will help to drive further data insights, including the true lifecycle of the container.
“We estimate each container can be refilled between 50 and 100 times before being removed from circulation, so the ongoing data from Ocado Retail will be critical to definitively establishing the recommended usage,” said Catherine Conway, reuse lead at GoUnpackaged. “Everything we’re seeing to date aligns with our estimate, and the quality of the packaging solution devised by Amcor is hugely important to the success of the project.”
Laura Fernandez, senior sustainability manager at Ocado Retail, commented, “Ocado Retail has been a leading force in accelerating the adoption of reusable packaging, across the wider UK retail sector. Ocado’s pioneering online reuse system has been a significant success, surpassing commercial, operational, customer, and environmental targets since its launch in 2024. The scheme is now being expanded to more Customer Fulfilment Centers(CFCs) reaching 90 percent of our customer base and increasing the product range, making reuse more accessible to customers and setting a new industry standard.
“We played a key role on the expert advisory panel for the GoUnpackaged research published last summer, which focused on achieving a 30%+ reuse future for the UK, demonstrating the benefits of reuse at scale. Furthermore, the business was instrumental in establishing the Reuse Packaging Partnership (RPP), a collective commitment uniting major UK retailers to scale reuse, boost packaging circularity, and guide customers toward a more sustainable future.”
