Amcor will continue producing refillable containers for the Refill Coalition’s trial with Ocado Retail in the UK, as the online supermarket expands its reusable packaging scheme.
The containers are used to deliver products such as pasta, rice and washing liquid, with customers returning empty packs to drivers for cleaning and preparation for reuse ahead of refilling. The trial, which began in 2024, is described as the first by a major supermarket to pilot reusable packaging for online grocery orders.
Amcor designed and manufactured 2 kg and 3 kg containers for the project, with formats tailored to product type. The 2 kg version has a wider opening suited to dry foods, while the 3 kg container features a narrower opening for liquids. The company said the aim is for the containers to become a standard format that could enable efficiencies and scale for other businesses.
The packs were developed through collaboration with Ocado Retail and the Refill Coalition, from initial brief through to final design. The containers were engineered to function across the full usage cycle — including compatibility with filling systems, delivery, at-home storage and return while avoiding trap points to enable effective washing once returned to Ocado Retail.
The design includes a square base with rounded shoulders to support rinsing and space efficiency in delivery cases, alongside an integrated handle to support handling throughout filling, delivery and use. Material selection and wall thickness were also adapted to meet food contact requirements and withstand repeated hot washing, allowing multiple reuses without weakening the packaging.
Florent Souty, general manager, blow moulding specialities at Amcor and a member of the Refill Coalition’s advisory panel, said, “We’re proud to be involved in a project that looks to redefine the nature of packaging for the future.
“By proving the potential for large-scale infrastructure, and planting the seeds for changes to consumer behaviour, we can support the latest findings from GoUnpackaged and its partners in the Refill Coalition.”
The continuation of the trial coincides with a report published by GoUnpackaged, the Refill Coalition’s facilitator, titled “A 30 per cent plus reuse future for the UK”, which used data from the trial to assess the potential benefits of a reuse model.
According to the report, moving to 30 per cent reuse in the UK retail sector could result in a 95 per cent reduction in CO2e emissions and annual savings of £136 million through reduced extended producer responsibility costs.
The ongoing trial is expected to provide further data insights, including on the full lifecycle of the containers.
Catherine Conway, reuse lead at GoUnpackaged, said, “We estimate each container can be refilled between 50 and 100 times before being removed from circulation, so the ongoing data from Ocado Retail will be critical to definitively establishing the recommended usage.
“Everything we’re seeing to date aligns with our estimate, and the quality of the packaging solution devised by Amcor is hugely important to the success of the project.”
Laura Fernandez, senior sustainability manager at Ocado Retail, said the company’s reuse system has “surpassed commercial, operational, customer, and environmental targets since its launch in 2024” and is being expanded to more customer fulfilment centres, reaching 90 per cent of its customer base and increasing the product range.
Fernandez added that Ocado Retail contributed to the GoUnpackaged research on achieving a 30 per cent reuse target and was involved in establishing the Reuse Packaging Partnership, a group of UK retailers working to scale reuse systems and improve packaging circularity.
Ocado Retail has received recognition for the project at the UK National Recycling Awards 2024, the Environmental Packaging Awards 2025 and the Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management 2025.
