Welcome to the Solutions Database,
a guide to technologies, strategies, and best practices for reducing plastic waste

Customers refill the reusable package at a dispensing point away from home, for example in a store. They retain ownership of the reusable package and are responsible for cleaning it (3).

Key benefits:

• Individual needs can be met by customized dispensing systems where users can choose the desired refill quantity and personalize the contents, for example by adding or mixing flavors/flagrances (3). In low-income countries, the model can accommodate customer needs for small quantities at af-fordable prices without relying on single-use plastic sachets (2).
• Dispensers can ensure engagement and convenience for consumers. To achieve this, dispensers should be quick to use and refill, for example using smart, au-tomated, and touchless technology with sensors and cash-free payments, which also allow businesses to gather user intelligence. Similarly, good signage, extra floor staff in the initial roll-out phase, bulk packaging and labelling done by staff, and taking steps to ease and in-centivize the adoption of reusable packaging can all aid the transition to refill on the go models (3,2,6).
• Transportation and packaging related costs and emissions can be reduced by supplying concentrates of products with high water content and mixing with water at the retail end (3,2).
• Reusable shopping bags that consumers refill on the go with their groceries offer 42% plastic mass and greenhouse gas reductions, while revenue compared to single-use bags is either unchanged or could even be improved.

Key watch-outs:

• A physical store or dispensing point is required, which makes it better suited to traditional retail outlets and urban environ-ments. Distributed or mobile dispensers can enhance the accessibility for consumers (2,3).
• The hygiene of the refillable packaging can be improved by installing washing ports next to the dispensing units to clean on the spot and/or by providing clear instruction on how to clean the containers (3).

• Dried products (e.g., beans, pasta and grains) often have minimal packaging requirements, making them ideal for very simple bulk dispensers. They can be purchased and transported home in foldable/flexible packaging (e.g., reusable bags) that are easy to bring to the store for refills (3).
• Liquid foods (e.g., cooking oils, milk, wine, and dressings) and beverages consumed on the go (e.g., water and fruit juice) can be refilled in reusable bottles or cups (3,6).
• Health & beauty and cleaning products such as soaps, shampoo, detergents, and household cleaners can be easily refilled in store (6).
• DIY and garden products such as seeds, compost, paint, screws, or car care products can work well for self-dispensing refill on the go models (6).

Initial guidance on applicability of this solution per plastic type:

• O Boticario Brasil - Refillers at stores: The company created a pilot project with refill options available in their stores to sell their products in bulk.
• Algramo Chile - Intelligent dispensing system on wheels: In partnership with Unilever and Nestlé, Algramõ has transformed their Algramõ 1.0 in-store vending machines into smart-powered mobile electric tricycles that deliver directly to users’ doorsteps. Users buy reusable containers and create an online account, which manages credits for refilling and stores rewards for reusing packaging that can be recouped from the dispensing machines. Users can arrange the visit of a tricycle via the Algramõ app, available on Android and Apple, free of charge.
• Unilever and Walmart Mexico - Shampoo refill stations: Refill stations for Unilever shampoo brands in ten Walmart shops in Mexico. The stations were overseen by staff to help customers dispense shampoo in 1 litre reusable aluminium bottles. The reusable bottles were sold at a one-time price and were printed with guidance on how customers should clean the bottle at home before bringing it back to refill. As the solution expands, self-service refill machines will be tested to make the refilling independent from staff oversight and provide better dosing to avoid spillage. Over the three-month pilot period, more than 3,000 single-use shampoo bottles, equivalent to 126 kg of plastic, were eliminated. After a successful three-month trial period, Walmart aim to scale the initiative to 500 Walmart shops in Mexico during 2021.
• Verdemar Supermarket: Recognized for the quality of service and its extensive product mix, the Verdemar supermarket and bakery chain from Minas Gerais also stands out for their innovative actions in the segment when it comes to environmental sustainability. The best known of these is the elimination of the distribution — and sale — of single-use plastic bags, which cause serious problems for the environment. As an option, the chain offers a collection of exclusive returnable bags, with a design signed by renowned Minas Gerais stylist Ronaldo Fraga, in addition to cardboard boxes.