The world’s biggest makers of shampoo, detergent and packaged food will test selling their products in reusable containers, adopting a milkman-style model to address mounting concerns about plastic waste. Procter & Gamble Co., Nestlé SA, PepsiCo Inc. and Unilever PLC are among 25 companies that, this summer, will start selling some products in glass, steel and other containers designed to be returned, cleaned and refilled. Critics...
Twenty-five firms, including Procter & Gamble, Nestle, PepsiCo and Unilever, will pilot a milkman-style approach, selling goods in reusable containers, with 5,000 consumers in New York and Paris this May. From steel-packaged deodorant and cereal to laundry detergent and glass-bottled Tropicana , product empties will be delivered, collected and cleaned by Terracycle; a subscription option will see them replenished once returned. The idea is that the containers are not only more environmentally friendly, but also cheaper than conventional packaging. Initially aimed at market research and building loyalty rather than profit, the initiative is also expected to extend to London this year and Tokyo, Toronto in 2020.