Asda has announced a new ‘refill price promise’ which guarantees that refill products will be cheaper than packaged alternatives, in a relaunch of its eco proposition.
The supermarket first introduced refill two years ago and has been trialling technology at a raft of stores.
Now it has released details of research, jointly produced with Wrap and Unilever and funding from Innovate UK, to find out customer barriers to participation.
It said clear pricing was by far the top priority, with the cost-of-living crisis making customers ever more careful on spending.
As a result of the research Asda said it would also try to combat uncertainty and apprehension and make the experience fun and enjoyable, with greater customer communication and a focus on four key categories – cereals, pet food, store cupboard (including snacks, tea, and coffee) and rice, pasta, and pulses.
As part of the moves products including Cadbury’s Giant Buttons, Maynards Wine Gums as well as Harringtons and Wagg pet food will all be introduced at its refill stores - Middleton (Leeds), Toryglen (Glasgow), York and Milton Keynes, with shoppers able to bring their own containers or buy a reusable container in store for use.
The stores will also adopt four dry refill bays, with cereals including favourites such as Kellogg’s Cornflakes, Bran Flakes and Coco Pops, Asda branded cereal included newly added Extra Special Cherry & Berry museli and Triple Choco Crisp.
They will have a rice and pasta bay featuring Napolina pasta and Asda branded rice as well as a store cupboard bay which has products such as almonds, Yorkshire Tea, Taylor’s of Harrogate coffee, Maynards Wine Gums, Cadbury’s Giant Buttons, Haribo Jellybeans and Rhubarb and Custard.
A pet bay will include Dreamies Cat Treats, Chappie, Pedigree, Harrington’s dog food, Wagg and Chappies dog food, Iams dog and cat food as well as bird food. (pet food will be installed in Toryglen next year)
Asda is also bringing in a reusable bag sold at 10p, after customers said that they find bringing back multiple containers too bulky and hard to carry.
Its move comes after Wrap revealed the Covid pandemic and the economic backdrop had been holding back efforts by retailers and suppliers in pursuit of the industry’s landmark Plastic Pact target to have 70% of packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.
Wrap said the use of re-use and refill technology was “pivotal” in reducing plastic packaging on the shelves with just 1,800 tonnes of re-usable packaging were placed onto the market in 2021, a mere 0.2% of all packaging placed on the market.
In July the Grocer revealed Tesco had quietly wound up its reusable packaging trial with eco company Loop, after admitting such initiatives would require a major consumer mind-shift before they can be rolled out at scale.
“We know the cost-of-living crisis is having a big effect on our customers, so it is important we recognise this in the refill space through our ‘refill price promise’ and ensure customers are getting an even better deal,” said Asda senior director of sustainable commercial activity, Susan Thomas.
“As well as being cheaper, refill allows customers to buy the exact amount they need, helping them stick to budgets, while at the same time reducing food waste at home.”
“Reuse and refill will have big role to play in changing our ingrained shopping habits and weaning ourselves off single use plastic - essential in the transition to a circular economy for plastics,” said Catherine David, director of collaboration and change at Wrap.
“The research we conducted in partnership with Asda and Unilever has provided rich learnings that are enabling us to better understand what’s needed to get customers trying reuse and refill and keep them coming back.
We know we need to make this an easy and cost-effective process and Asda are showing how this is possible. They should be commended for their leadership on reuse and refill, and we look forward to seeing more action from supermarkets and brands on this critical system change”.
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