{"id":8546,"date":"2025-03-19T08:15:21","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T05:15:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/?p=8546"},"modified":"2025-06-12T12:24:24","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T09:24:24","slug":"growing-consumer-demand-for-reusables-in-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/growing-consumer-demand-for-reusables-in-uk\/","title":{"rendered":"Growing Consumer Demand for Reusables in UK"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Recent research from <a href=\"https:\/\/gounpackaged.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">GoUnpackaged<\/a> highlights a significant shift in consumer attitude towards single-use plastic. A majority of shoppers in the UK want retailers to offer more reuse and refill options, with many customers even prioritizing shopping at supermarkets that implement such systems, signaling that sustainability is becoming a crucial factor in retail competitiveness.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/growing-consumer-demand-for-reusables-in-uk\/#Research_Findings\" >Research Findings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/growing-consumer-demand-for-reusables-in-uk\/#Barriers_Preventing_Widespread_Adoption\" >Barriers Preventing Widespread Adoption<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/growing-consumer-demand-for-reusables-in-uk\/#The_Business_Case_for_Reuse_and_Refill\" >The Business Case for Reuse and Refill<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/growing-consumer-demand-for-reusables-in-uk\/#Lessons_from_the_UK_Plastic_Pact_2025\" >Lessons from the UK Plastic Pact 2025<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/growing-consumer-demand-for-reusables-in-uk\/#A_Call_to_Action_for_Retailers\" >A Call to Action for Retailers<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Research_Findings\"><\/span><strong>Research Findings<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Two-thirds of Brits want supermarkets to take action in reducing plastic waste, with 68 % of consumers stating they would regularly use reusable and refillable options if they were more <strong>accessible<\/strong>. This enthusiasm is particularly strong among <strong>younger consumers<\/strong>, with 77 % of those aged 18-34 likely to incorporate reuse and refill into their weekly shopping, if made more <strong>convenient<\/strong>. Additionally, half of UK shoppers actively prefer supermarkets that implement such systems.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Barriers_Preventing_Widespread_Adoption\"><\/span><strong>Barriers Preventing Widespread Adoption<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite consumer enthusiasm, significant obstacles remain. More than half shoppers (54 %) <strong>struggle to locate<\/strong> reuse and refill options at their usual supermarkets, and nearly half (47 %) find these systems <strong>confusing<\/strong>. Without clear guidance and accessible options, retailers risk alienating customers who wish to make sustainable choices. Simplifying these systems is essential in encouraging widespread participation and reducing reliance on single-use plastics.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-8536\" src=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Growing-Consumer-Demand-for-Reusables-in-UK-scaled-e1742301809786-1024x857.jpg\" alt=\"consumer demand for reusables concept\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Business_Case_for_Reuse_and_Refill\"><\/span><strong>The Business Case for Reuse and Refill<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Retailers that adopt reuse and refill systems early stand to benefit from <strong>increased customer loyalty<\/strong> and <strong>reduced costs<\/strong> associated with upcoming environmental regulations, since the Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) framework will soon require UK businesses to cover the <strong>full cost <\/strong>of managing packaging waste. By proactively implementing sustainable solutions, supermarkets can mitigate financial risks while strengthening their brand image.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lessons_from_the_UK_Plastic_Pact_2025\"><\/span><strong>Lessons from the UK Plastic Pact 2025<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The push for reusable packaging aligns with broader sustainability initiatives, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wrap.ngo\/resources\/guide\/roadmap-2025-uk-plastics-pact\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">WRAP\u2019s UK Plastic Pact 2025.<\/a> This initiative aimed to eliminate unnecessary plastics and promote circular economy practices. However, progress has been mixed, with many key targets unlikely to be met. This shortfall has led to renewed efforts to standardize and expand reuse and refill systems across the retail sector.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Call_to_Action_for_Retailers\"><\/span><strong>A Call to Action for Retailers<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Consumer expectations are shifting rapidly, and regulatory pressures are increasing. By making reuse and refill systems more accessible, supermarkets can lead the way in sustainable retail while maintaining their competitive edge. The time to transition away from single-use packaging is now, and those who take the lead will reap the benefits in both customer trust and regulatory compliance.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">You can find the original publication of the research <a href=\"https:\/\/gounpackaged.com\/thought-leadership\/times-up-for-single-use\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recent research from GoUnpackaged highlights a significant shift in consumer attitude towards single-use plastic. A majority of shoppers in the UK want retailers to offer more reuse and refill options, with many customers even prioritizing shopping at supermarkets that implement such systems, signaling that sustainability is becoming a crucial factor in retail competitiveness. &nbsp; Research&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":8535,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","category-industry-trends-reports-en","category-28","category-541","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8546"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8546\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8548,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8546\/revisions\/8548"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8535"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}