A report commissioned by the Waikato Regional Council has found at least 95 different reusable packaging systems in use in the Waikato region for grocery-type items (or fast-moving consumer goods).
Reuse Aotearoa produced a stocktake of reusable packaging for fmcg in Waikato as part of a programme of works identified in the Waikato Regional Waste Prevention Action Plan to reduce waste and support a circular economy.
Waikato Regional Council’s Waste Prevention Adviser, Valerie Bianchi, said the stocktake overall showed that reusable packaging systems were available for consumers who sought them out, particularly in the hotspots of Hamilton City and Waipā, Waikato, and Thames-Coromandel districts.
“These systems are mainly for consumers who will go the extra mile, like they will take their own BYO containers for refills or return empty milk bottles for a new bottle,” said Bianchi.
“But small and bespoke businesses mainly offer these systems – it’s not well integrated into mainstream grocery stores.”
Regional councils have a legislative mandate to achieve integrated management of the region’s natural and physical resources and to regulate the discharge of contaminants into the environment.
Hannah Blumhardt, lead researcher of Reuse Aotearoa, said preventing waste reduced the discharge of contaminants into the environment.
“When they work well, reuse systems reduce waste and emissions by replacing throwaway packaging. For example, if one glass milk bottle is washed and filled 200 times, that’s 200 single-use plastic bottles that never needed to be created,” said Blumhardt.
“This replacement effect reduces not just the physical waste product but the pressure on our natural resources to make the throwaway packaging, like trees for cardboard, or oil for plastic.”
Common examples of reuse systems mentioned in the report are glass bottle swap systems for milk. In these grocery store bulk bins or refill stations, customers can fill their reusable containers, pallets, or produce crates to transport products to retailers.
The Waikato's reusable packaging options have originated from businesses inside and outside the region. Some local examples include Raglan-based Dreamview Creamery’s reusable glass bottles and jars for milk and yoghurt, zero-waste stores like Bare Refill in Hamilton or Re-Store in Thames, and butchers that welcome BYO containers, such as Wholly Cow in Cambridge or Expleo in Te Awamutu.
The report identified that reusable packaging systems were unevenly spread across the region. Hamilton City and Waipā, Waikato and Thames-Coromandel districts had the most reuse systems.
Some products have more reusable packaging options than others. For Waikato consumers, the products most easily accessible in reusable packaging are beer, milk, fresh produce, and whole foods. Well-known branded, processed, and snack food products have been the hardest for consumers to find in reusable packaging.
Large-scale reusable packaging systems, such as reusable pallets and produce crates, usually occur behind the scenes in supermarket supply chains. In contrast, small businesses or start-ups run most consumer-facing reuse or refill systems, which may make them less resilient. For example, the Waikato region has had several zero-waste grocery stores close down in recent years.
Stronger comms about existing reusable packaging systems would help increase awareness amongst Waikato consumers of available options in the region.
Providing more reuse infrastructure and services would help reusable packaging systems grow. These include collecting and washing empty reusable packaging between uses and helping more retailers accommodate refill systems in their stores.
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