To meet their sustainable packaging goals, brand owners can pursue several refill and reuse models (e.g., in-home, in-store, returnable), each with different objectives, benefits, and challenges.
The refill-at-home model is the most convenient for consumers, enabling them to refill the product/package at home, including products bought in-store, online, or through direct-to-consumer subscription services. This model is gaining popularity in the home care and personal care categories. Many brands combine high-quality, durable, primary packaging with economical refills sold in no-frills or recyclable packaging. Many refill products come in concentrate forms (liquids and tablets) that afford lower transportation, product, and packaging costs.
Branch Basics is a great example of the at-home refill approach. The company’s mission is to create healthier homes with environmentally-friendly cleaning products that avoid harmful chemicals and toxins. Branch Basics sells a single cleaning concentrate product that can be mixed with varying ratios of water in distinct packaging to create a multi-purpose cleaner, foam hand soap, bathroom cleanser, streak-free cleaner, and laundry detergent.
Berlin Packaging's Studio One Eleven design team created a refillable packaging system for Branch Basics' line of home cleaning concentrates. A custom-decorated Boston round glass bottle delivers a superior appearance. The durable bottle with spray trigger is easy to use and refill. Ceramic printing communicates the different cleaning tasks: Streak-Free, All-Purpose, and Bathroom. At the bottle's base, a white silicone boot with a debossed company logo and name adds elegance and protection while conveying cleanliness. A color-coded ring at the neck enables simple differentiation between the three cleaning applications.
Conducted by Berlin Packaging, an environmental impact analysis revealed the refillable bottle reduced greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel usage, and water usage by more than 80% compared with single-use containers. Berlin’s capabilities in refillable packaging solutions provide our customers with new customizable products, subscription models, experiences, and affordable price points.
Learn more by reading Berlin Packaging's report on Refill & Reuse Systems.