This step is complex and could be costly when it comes to mess, shrinkage, and more.
This article opines on Asda’s trial of a “packaging-free fixture”. Last year, the supermarket retailer urged brands to put the environment before sales and reduce packaging.
The author says that their decision to get rid of all packaging would be a “huge step into the unknown”, given packaging’s role in marketing and difficulties in scaling up. Generally, self-service fixtures are not only complex, but also expensive when it comes to shrinkage, food safety, lost sales and more.
This is the reason supermarkets and suppliers end up focusing on recycling by setting up facilities for consumers to return their “empties”. However, the author points out that these return schemes are “onerous and patchy” and the return rates are worrisome.
[2 minute read]