The scheme allowed shoppers to fill up their own containers with loose produce including coffee, cereal and nuts and was 5% cheaper compared to buying the equivalent items already packaged
Aldi has scrapped its trial of in-store dispensers that allowed shoppers to fill containers with food to reduce single-use plastic.
The scheme allowed shoppers to fill up their own containers with loose produce including coffee, cereal and nuts. As well as helping to cut plastic waste, the supermarket said shoppers save 5% compared to buying the equivalent items already packaged. The trial, run by the Refill Coalition and using funding from Innovate UK, was launched in Solihull in 2023 and was later expanded to Leamington Spa in September last year.
It has been reported that Innovate has stopped funding the project, while Aldi has said it always planned to only run the pilot for a limited time. Ocado is continuing with its own version of the pilot, which it launched last year. It sees shoppers given a container pre-filled with product that is delivered with their shopping. Customers then return the empty container to their next Ocado driver so they can be cleaned and used again for the next delivery.
The Refill Coalition said: “We are extremely proud of our collective work to design and launch these new reuse and refill systems, which form a key part of the solution to tackling the single-use plastics crisis. The trial demonstrates the solutions’ operational efficiency, clear environmental benefit and scalability which are critical steps towards industry transformation.
“Additionally, the sales share and in-depth research provide evidence of the significant consumer appetite for availability of refill and reuse as part of their regular shop. We look forward to seeing other retailers and brands taking up these proven solutions, enabling an acceleration towards a reuse future.”
Innovate UK challenge director Paul Davidson said: “This collaborative, full supply chain project has successfully developed and trialled an end-to-end solution for refill in the grocery sector, both in-store and online, and we are delighted that the Ocado trial is set to continue. As a result of the innovative approach and hard work of the Refill Coalition partners, we now have a blueprint for retailers looking to mainstream refill within their operations and take action on reducing single-use packaging.”
It comes after Aldi confirmed a pay rise for in-store workers from March. The budget retailer, which employs 45,000 people in the UK across 1,020 stores, said it will raise its minimum hourly rate to £12.71, up from £12.40 an hour currently. Employees in and around London will see their hourly pay rise to at least £14, up from £13.65.