Aldi is rolling out its refill stations to additional stores in partnership with The Refill Coalition.
The news follows a trial the discounter launched in Solihull last October.
The Refill Coalition confirmed to The Grocer that refill stations will be rolled out to a “small number” of Aldi stores within the next “six months”.
The refillable system at Aldi is replacing current bulk dispensers with reusable vessels located at a refill station that can be filled with the product.
Customers are invited to bring their own packaging to refill at the station, using an improved weighing system.
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The coalition, which was created in 2020 by UK refill experts Unpackaged, is also formed of Ocado and supply chain solutions company CHEP.
GoUnpackaged director Helen Clements told The Grocer that initial sales had “exceeded” store expectations at Aldi.
“That is massive because typically in these refill trials equipment fails. And if the equipment isn’t working for the day, customers will be unlikely to make the effort again,” Clements added.
Founding members of the partnership – which include Lidl, Sainsbury’s M&S, Morrisons and Waitrose – have since left.
Waitrose was the most recent grocer to have departed, however a spokesperson for the supermarket said it remains in “close contact” with The Refill Coalition and it will be looking into other ways that it can have a “big impact on reducing packaging.”
