Reposit are pioneers in tackling the growing issue of single-use plastic pollution through innovative reusable packaging and scalable business reuse solutions.
Jo & Stuart Chidley co-founded the award-winning Beauty Kitchen UK Ltd in 2014 to create natural and sustainable products accessible across the world. Since the outset, the company has focused on creating reusable products and packaging with cradle-to-cradle principles in mind. Put simply, all processes are developed in a circular way where everything can either be reused or recycled and most importantly, not wasted or sent to landfill.
It quickly became apparent that many businesses were struggling with the issue of how to tackle the growing problem of plastic waste in their business operations. Jo and Stuart’s knowledge and reputation in the circular economy, combined with their expertise in developing innovative reusable packaging solutions, established them as pioneers in the reuse sector.
In 2019, we launched a reusable packaging programme for Beauty Kitchen and received funding from Zero Waste Scotland, under the programme called ‘Return – Refill – Repeat.’
In 2020, Reposit was born and delivered the ‘prefilled’ model for home care and personal care with Unilever. Customers bought products in our packaging, returning the packaging when empty. We launched 23 locations with products and return points at Co-op & ASDA.
The challenge
Global consumption of plastic is accelerating. Over half of the plastic ever manufactured has been produced since 2000 and we are set to double our current global annual production by 2050.
It is estimated that UK households alone throw away a staggering 90 billion pieces of plastic packaging a year, or 1.7 billion pieces a week.
Only about an estimated 9% of the plastics ever produced have been recycled and 12% have been incinerated. The remainder is either still in use or has been disposed of in landfills or released into the environment, including the oceans.
The presence of microplastics (MPs) in the environment poses a serious threat to both human health and ecosystems. MPs are small plastic particles that originate from various sources, such as textile fibres, cosmetics, and plastic debris. They can enter aquatic and terrestrial habitats through wastewater discharge and accumulate in the food chain. Microplastics have been found in various human organs and tissues, raising concerns about long-term health consequences.
Consumer concerns over plastic pollution are driving change as consumers switch to brands that demonstrate their ethical commitment to reducing waste by moving to reusable packaging.
The industry is still in its infancy as it is not easy to find reusable packaging solutions that are scalable or commercially viable in the single-use world, and you cannot do it alone. More governments are passing legislation which financially penalises companies that continue to use single-use packaging.
Successful reuse projects require significant levels of collaboration between organisations that are often competing in their individual markets. Reposit’s extensive C-suite relationships with major corporates worldwide, combined with our track record of designing and delivering large-scale innovative reuse projects, enable us to break down barriers and help organisations navigate the complexity of designing scalable and sustainable reuse programmes.
Our products and services
The Reposit team can provide bespoke end-to-end support for reuse initiatives, including:
- Feasibility, design, build, and operational management services to clients
- Technical packaging design and sourcing
- Consultancy and turnkey services
- Reverse point solutions
- Washing solutions and quality assurance
- Asset tracking solutions
- Data analytics and web-app solutions
- Marketing and rewards programmes
- Proprietary carbon assessments comparing reuse to single-use packaging
Reposit installed a state-of-the-art commercial washing facility at our Lanarkshire headquarters to develop and test washing solutions as well as standardised operating procedures for a wide range of packaging containers and materials.
Successful client projects
Borrow Cup
A returnable cup scheme for Glasgow, available at over 50 locations including Costa Coffee, Caffè Nero, Burger King, local cafes and corporate offices. Avery Dennison Corp was a key partner in the success of the borrow cup scheme by designing and providing a range of reusable cups together with asset tracking support, with Reposit designing, building and managing all operational aspects of the project.
M&S Refilled
M&S ‘Refilled’ allows customers to choose from ten pre-filled, own-brand homecare products, including cleaning sprays, laundry detergents, fabric conditioners and washing up liquids. The initial purchase includes a £2 cost for the returnable bottle, which can be returned to the store after use. Upon return, customers receive a £2 voucher which can be redeemed against a second purchase in the M&S Refilled range.
Reposit worked closely with M&S to build a scalable standardised returnable packaging solution that works for business and customers. This scale-up is the result of strong customer engagement, which we hope will result in more action across the retail industry to offer customers a convenient alternative to single-use packaging. The scheme is now running across 25 M&S stores.
Middle East
Reposit are currently in discussions with various governments and major corporations operating in the Middle East regarding potential large-scale food-service reuse projects.
Canada Reuse City Project, Ottawa
Reposit are designing, building, and operating the largest city reuse project undertaken in Canada with support from government agencies (ECCC, City of Ottawa) and NGO’s, the Consumer Goods Forum and many more.
Participants include Walmart, Loblaw Companies Ltd, Unilever, Procter & Gamble and L’Oreal, involving approximately 100 products across 63 stores in Ottawa. The learnings from this groundbreaking initiative will be shared with a wide range of organisations looking to promote reuse in their own markets.
The Reposit team regularly provide insights and technical expertise on reuse matters to governments and corporations around the world with the aim of accelerating the uptake of reusable packaging.
We look forward to helping you with your reuse projects.
Please note, this article will also appear in the 23rd edition of our quarterly publication.
