The Procter & Gamble Company has introduced refillable, reusable packaging for some of its most popular products in order to change the world’s reliance on single-use packaging and disposable waste. Additionally, P&G has also introduced new “collect and recycle” circular solutions to eliminate waste as part of a partnership with Loop™, a circular e-commerce platform developed by international recycling leader TerraCycle. Many of P&G’s largest global brands, including Pantene, Tide, Cascade, and Oral-B, will participate in this innovative platform later this year.
Loop is a new global platform for reusable packaging and shopping that aims to be more environmentally friendly and convenient than current e-commerce solutions. Through the platform, Loop collects and cleans empty packaging, which brand owners then refill for another use. Loop also offers the option to collect used products from consumers’ doorsteps for further recycling or reuse. P&G was the first consumer products company to join Loop.
Announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this partnership helps P&G move closer to its Ambition 2030 sustainability goals and its commitment to making sustainable actions part of daily life.
P&G scientists and engineers have developed innovative manufacturing, packaging, and distribution solutions that it says will make sustainable living easy for participating consumers. Loop will be offering 11 P&G brands in one of three formats. Loop will be validating and optimizing the system through real in-market learning experiments beginning in mid-2019 in New York and Paris.
Durable reusable packaging
P&G has designed new durable and refillable, reusable packaging with new features and functionalities for household favorites such as Pantene, Tide, Cascade, and Crest.
- Pantene is introducing a unique bottle made with lightweight, durable aluminum for its shampoo and conditioner.
- Tide is participating in Loop with its Tide purclean plant-based laundry detergent. Tide is packaging the detergent in a durable new bottle made from stainless steel with a simple twist-cap and easy-pour spout.
- Cascade, continually looking for ways to make the dish cleaning experience better and more environmentally friendly, has developed new ultra-durable packaging for Cascade ActionPacs, which enable consumers to skip the prewash.
- Crest is introducing new Crest Platinum mouthwash, a unique formula that delivers fresh breath and stain prevention in a sustainable, refillable glass bottle.
- Ariel and Febreze are participating with durable, refillable, reusable packaging that is also available in stores, testing a new direct-to-consumer refill-and-reuse model.
Recycling product refills
- Oral-B will test circular solutions for both its electric rechargeable and manual toothbrushes. The Oral-B CLIC manual toothbrush has a durable handle that with a unique mechanism that allows consumers to exchange the brush head. The Loop platform will recycle used brush heads for both manual and electrical brushes.
- Gillette and Venus will provide premium travel packs as durable packaging that the consumer can keep in addition to the handle. TerraCycle will collect and recycle the used parts and blades from these grooming products .
Recycling used hygienic products
Pampers and Always will test the collection of used hygiene products from consumer homes for further recycling using ground-breaking, proprietary technology developed by Fater, a P&G and Angelini Group Joint Venture. The technology turns used absorbent hygiene products into secondary raw materials for higher-value applications.
“We are building on more than 180 years of innovation and world-class consumer insight to enable responsible consumption at scale,” says Virginie Helias, P&G’s Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer. “We’re proud to partner with TerraCycle as the first CPG company to be part of this transformative program, which is just one of the many ways we are delivering on our Ambition 2030 goals to accelerate sustainable innovation and drive circular solutions.
“The time to act is now. We are passionate about harnessing the power of our global reach and the strength of our trusted global brands to scale-up more sustainable solutions. Transformative partnerships are key to achieve this mission as no one can succeed alone."
Says TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky, “We are happy to partner with P&G and other global brands, retailers, infrastructure companies, and the World Economic Forum to create a new way to more responsibly consume products. Loop aims to not just eliminate the idea of packaging waste but greatly improve the product experience and the convenience in how we shop. Through Loop, consumers can responsibly consume products in specially-designed durable, reusable, or fully recyclable packaging. Through the power and reach of trusted brands such as those of P&G, we will be able to change consumers’ habits and achieve the scale required for the model to achieve its objectives.”
How Loop works
- Shop: Consumers can go to the Loop website or Loop partner retailer’s websites and shop for P&G brands that have been redesigned to be waste-free.
- Receive: Consumers receive their durable products in Loop’s exclusively designed state-of-the-art shipping tote that eliminates the need for single-use shipping materials like cardboard boxes.
- Enjoy: Consumers experience elegance and convenience all while eliminating the idea of throw-away packaging waste.
- Pick-up: There is no need for consumers to clean and dispose of the package. As they finish their products, they can place the empty package into one of their Loop Totes. Loop will then pick up the totes up directly from their home.
- Clean: Loop’s team of scientists has developed custom cleaning technologies so consumers may safely reuse each product.
- Refill, recycle, or reuse: Loop promptly replenishes products as needed and returns the refilled shipping totes to the consumer. If there is recoverable used product such as diapers, pads, razors, or brush parts, Loop will recover them for reuse or recycling. PW
Read more about Loop here.
