// Lidl offer customers access to an on-shelf smart refill machine to help them save money and reduce plastic
// The compact machines will be located on-shelf in the store’s laundry detergent section
Lidl has become the first supermarket in the UK to offer customers access to an on-shelf smart refill machine.
The compact machines will be located on-shelf in the store’s laundry detergent section.
They will take up space equivalent to 66 standard Formil single-use bottles but have the potential of filling over 245 individual pouches, increasing capacity by almost 300%.
Subscribe to Retail Gazette for free
Sign up here to get the latest news straight into your inbox each morning
Customers can pick up the pouch via the machine’s automated, touchscreen experience, choose their favourite detergent and follow the on-screen instructions.
Lidl said the “innovative closed-fill” technology incorporated into the pouch cap allows customers to fill up with the cap still on, enabling faster filling while eliminating the chance of mess and spills.
The Formil pouches contain a special chip that allows the machine to distinguish between new and reused refill pouches, so the customer gets their saving of 20p after their first use.
The grocer said the refill solution offers customers the cheapest wash, allows them to save 59g of plastic per refill, and the small size of the machine optimises shelf space and the detergent transported in bulk packaging makes logistics more efficient.
“We are incredibly proud of this latest innovation, which will enable our customers to save money and reduce their plastic consumption,” Lidl CSR manager, Mark Newbold said.
“We were the first UK supermarket to introduce smart laundry detergent refill stations and now we’re the first to introduce this next generation design.
“It’s our strong belief that good quality and value should go together. We are committed to providing our customers with cost saving solutions that can help their wallets and the planet.”
The trial will feature in Lidl’s Swadlincote, Lichfield and Kingswinford stores. This builds on an initial 6-month pilot of a larger, standing refill machine at the Kingswinford store, which resulted in positive customer feedback.
