Bath, body, and home fragrance retailer Arran Sense of Scotland is the latest to get involved in a returnable packaging coalition which is led by Marks & Spencer (M&S).
After Scotland-based beauty brand Beauty Kitchen pioneered this initiative in 2019, Arran Sense of Scotland has started offering its products in returnable packaging, in partnership with cross-category returnable platform Reposit.
Reposit which is backed by a coalition including M&S, cleaning products brand Ecover, and environmental organisation City to Sea, and supported by UK Research & Innovation’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Fund, is based on a ‘return for reward’ system. This means it wants to incentivise customers to return their empty packaging after use to receive a reward.
The Reposit projects are part of wider ambitions to successfully deliver and scale returnable packaging schemes across the UK.
To return the packaging, consumers scan the QR code on the base of the empty item after use and return it either to one of the two Arran Sense of Scotland stores, or by freepost at their nearest Post Office branch at no charge. They then receive a discount voucher to redeem against their next purchase.
Returned items are professionally cleaned by Reposit and put back into circulation, helping to close the loop on plastic waste.
According to data released by environmental organisation City to Sea, the plastic packaging crisis is at the forefront of people’s minds, with 95% of the public concerned about plastic pollution, up from 86% in 2018.
Stuart Chidley, co-founder of Reposit, remarked: “This latest expansion demonstrates how we’re tackling the growing issue of single-use plastic pollution by offering innovative, scalable solutions that meet the needs of consumers and businesses.
“With increasing demand for returnable packaging, Reposit is committed to working with key names across industry to deliver scale and drive real change across multiple categories.”
Kevin Meechan, CEO at Arran Sense of Scotland, added: “This initiative empowers our customers to make sustainable choices without sacrificing quality or luxury.
“By reusing packaging and offering prefilled returnable options, we’re actively reducing waste and contributing to a circular economy, where wellbeing-focused bath and body care go hand in hand with sustainability.”
Jo Chidley, co-founder of Beauty Kitchen, commented: “As the leaders of the B-Corp Beauty Coalition, we’re on a mission to demonstrate how innovative solutions, such as our returnable packaging system, make it easier than ever for consumers and businesses to sack single-use plastic.”
Jane Martin, CEO of City to Sea, which provided consumer behaviour change research and insights for the project, noted: “One year on from launch and reusable packaging schemes are gaining momentum across the country.
“Millions of people are looking to reduce their reliance on plastic, and we are pleased to help give the public access to much-loved products in a way that reduces single-use plastic. We look forward to seeing more brands come on board and give consumers the freedom to cut back on plastic.”
[image credit: Arran Sense of Scotland/Reposit]
