Zero-Waste Shopping Takes Root in Europe as Grocers Embrace Concept

Not so long ago, anyone in search of packaging-free shopping opportunities had to seek out specialty retailers.

Today, the landscape is changing as more mainstream supermarket chains adopt zero-waste shopping, with the goal to prevent millions of tons of wasted packaging every year.

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In the past month, German discount retailer chain Lidl has rolled out refill stations in three U.K. stores where customers can bring their empty laundry detergent bottles and pouches for a top-up. Other retailers in the U.K., including Aldi, Asda, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, and Waitrose are all piloting various versions of dry goods food refills.

Paris-based retailer Carrefour seems to be ahead of the game, introducing in the last few years a range of refill stations for dry goods such as cereal and pasta in some Belgian and French stores.

The French firm has also trialed the concept for cosmetics in Poland while Carrefour customers at the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai can reuse plastic bottles for a range of laundry liquids and dish soaps.

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Tackling Food Waste

When it comes to tackling food waste, France, famous for its bread and pastries, has been in a comfortable lead since it became the first country in the world to ban supermarkets from throwing away or destroying unsold food following the passing of the Garot Food Waste bill in 2016.

Since then, French legislators have also introduced further measures to prohibit the practice of throwing away unsold non-food goods.

Last year, the government also passed a law that gives large supermarkets until 2030 to dedicate at least 20% of their surface space to packaging-free grocery options.

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The U.K. seems to be catching up as well. An October report by the U.K. consumer association Which? — part of an investigation into the environmental credentials of the country’s supermarkets — found that no U.K. supermarket sends food waste to landfills — a dramatic improvement from just a few years ago.

The report also found that Tesco and Ocado redistribute most of their surplus food for human consumption, while the rest of the country’s biggest grocery brands send the majority for anaerobic digestion to be turned into biogas and compost.

So, while there is still a long way to go to completely end food wastage, the tide seems to be turning in the European retail sector. Already, supermarkets have proven that they can break out of toxic cycles that have existed for years and continuing on that path will be critical if the industry is to deliver the planet positive changes consumers demand.

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