Which? is urging manufacturers and supermarkets to do more to
make refillable products widely available and clearly labelled to
help shoppers save money and the environment.
Refillable products are increasingly popular, but shoppers are
struggling to find these environmentally friendly products on
supermarket shelves and a lack of clear labelling means many
consumers may be unaware that refills are available for personal
care and cleaning products.
In a survey of more than 2,000 members of the public, Which?
found that three-quarters (75%) were open to buying refillable
products, but only a third (36%) of people had seen them on sale.
Three in 10 (29%) also said difficulty finding refillable
products was the main reason they had not purchased any in the
last year.
Which? also analysed the packaging of 12 popular refillable
personal care and home cleaning products and found the majority
(9) did not have labels on the standard packaging indicating they
could be refilled when they are finished.
Surprisingly for eco-friendly products, almost half (5) of the 12
lacked labels to inform customers whether the packaging of the
original or refill was recyclable.
Just a third (4) of the sets of products analysed had packaging
that could be fully recycled in most councils’ household
collections. The refills for five products - Solimo Handsoap,
Carex Handwash, L’Occitane Liquid soap, Method Hand Wash and
Method Washing-up Liquid - came in flexible pouches that are
notoriously difficult to recycle, although the standard packaging
versions except the pumps could be recycled.
Though difficult to recycle, flexible plastic pouches can be
better for the environment as they use less plastic and cut
carbon emissions by taking up less space while being transported.
Carex claims its one-litre refillable pouch uses 85 per cent less
plastic compared to four 250ml bottles and that one plastic Carex
Handwash bottle needs the same amount of storage space as 28
pouches.
Which? found the 12 products analysed were almost invariably
cheaper per millilitre compared to their original counterparts.
Just one was the same price.
Ecover washing-up liquid offered the best saving for customers
with its five-litre large bottles costing £10, while the 450ml
original bottle costs £1.60 - this means customers could be
saving 44 per cent per 100ml.
Consumers who regularly purchase L’Occitane’s Lavender Liquid
Soap could also save 35 per cent per 100ml if they opt to buy its
500ml refill pouch, which costs £18, rather than its 300ml
plastic bottle which costs £16.
Carex’s refillable one-litre pouch, which cost £2.85, was also 29
per cent cheaper per 100ml compared with its 250ml bottle, which
costs £1.
The findings come as On-Pack Recycling Label, a not-for-profit
organisation that provides standard recycling labels for grocery
products in the UK, is launching a new label for refillable
products to help consumers understand whether products can be
refilled at home, in-store or should be sent back to the brand.
Which? is urging supermarkets and manufacturers to make
refillable personal care and cleaning products more widely
available to customers.
The consumer champion also wants to see recycling labels on all
products so consumers are better informed on how to recycle the
packaging they use. Brands should also indicate if their products
are available as refills to help consumers save money and cut
their plastic waste.
Michael Briggs, Head of Sustainability at Which?, said:
“Our research shows there is demand and savings to be had for
consumers who switch to refills. However, many shoppers have
trouble finding them on supermarket shelves and a lack of clear
labelling means consumers may be unaware that a refillable option
is available.
“Which? is calling on brands and supermarkets to make refillable
products more widely available to customers. Recycling labels
should also be provided on all grocery products so that people
know how they can responsibly dispose of the items they use.”
Notes to editor
Which? surveyed 2,008 UK adults on their opinions about
refillable products in February 2021. Data weighted to be
representative of the UK population (aged 18+).
Please see below a full list of products analysed and prices.
Link also available here: https://infogram.com/1pg3nwjmjxp960h9gxm071rrpxfwm3np6jd?live
