Jackson Mulligan, founder of Refill Nation, wanted to operate stores that customers saw as their go-to destination for quality, convenience, and sustainability, by creating welcoming spaces that reflect the communities.
Since opening the first store in 2019, sustainability has been a core value at Refill Nation, with a simple concept: encouraging customers to bring their own containers and refill household products from bulk tubs and containers.
For online orders, these products are delivered in compostable paper bags. Through this model, customers have made a significant impact in reducing consumer waste in local communities.
Mulligan said that over time, the store has continued to refine its systems and processes to remove as much friction as possible from the refilling process, making it simple and convenient.
One of the highlights of the store is its refill range for cleaning and body products, and Mulligan was happy to see how enthusiastic customers were about refilling laundry liquid, handwash, and shampoo.
“We often see the same plastic bottle brought back again and again for refills, which really highlights how durable these bottles are. It also raises an interesting point about how unusual it is that such long-lasting packaging is so widely sold as single-use,” he said.
He added that customers also love the milk swap system. They purchase their first bottle of milk in a glass bottle and then proceed, paying only a swap price when exchanging the empty bottle for a full one.
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