// M&S has introduced refillable cleaning and laundry products, with shoppers bringing bottles back to store to top up
// The trial will be introduced in 6 stores from this summer and will be rolled out if popular with customers
M&S has introduced refillable own-brand cleaning and laundry products into six stores as it strives to reduce plastic packaging.
Customers will be able to choose from eight pre-filled, own-brand homecare products, including cleaning sprays, laundry detergents, fabric conditioners and washing up liquids.
Shoppers need to pay a £2 deposit for the reusable bottle, which can be returned to store where customers will receive a £2 voucher redeemable against a second purchase which will be refilled into the bottle.
M&S has teamed up with refill specialist Re for the concept, which is initially available at the retailer’s recently opened Stevenage flagship and in Bluewater. It will be extended to M&S’ Stratford City, Hedge End, Aintree and York Vanguarde stores over the summer.
The retailer said customers were already responding well to the trial with the most popular product – citrus washing up liquid – almost equalling sales of its packaged equivalent. If successful, the Refillable range will be expanded to other stores.
READ MORE: In pictures: M&S opens new concept store in Stevenage
The trial builds on M&S’ packaging-free Fill Your Own concept, which it offers on more than 60 grocery products including pasta, rice, cereal and nuts. The initiative launched in December 2019 and is now available in 14 stores. It has removed the need for 350,000 units of single-use packaging.
M&S has vowed to remove one billion units of plastic food packaging by 2027.
M&S Food head of sustainability Lucinda Langton said: “At M&S, we want to help our customers live more sustainably by transforming how we sell our products. We know they care deeply about reducing plastic so we’re taking a test and learn approach to find innovative solutions.
“Our homecare trial builds on our refillable and packaging-free Fill Your Own concept, and both are important parts of our strategy to reduce plastic and packaging.
“Fill Your Own has already been hugely popular – showing there is high demand for refillable great value options – and if customers love M&S Refillable just as much, we’ll be rolling it out to more stores.”
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