Reusable packaging delivery service Loop is expanding to stores

Reusable packaging delivery service Loop is expanding to stores: ADVERTISEMENT%0A%0AYou%u2019ve%20reached%20your%20monthly%20limit%20of%20articles.%A0Upgrade%20for%20unlimited%20access%A0or%20Login%A0here.%0A02-10-20WORLD%20CHANGING%20IDEAS%0AGiant%20brands%20love%20Loop%u2019s%20zero-waste%20packaging%u2014and%20now%20it%u2019s%20coming%20to%20a%20store%20near%20you%0AA%20year%20after%20it%20launched%2C%20the%20delivery%20service%20that%20takes%20back%20its%20packaging%20to%20be%20reused%20is%20expanding%2C%20and%20you%u2019ll%20soon%20be%20able%20to%20find%20its%20innovative%20packaging%20designs%20at%20retail%20stores.%0A%0A%0A%5BPhotos%3A%20Loop%5D%0A%0AMORE%20LIKE%20THIS%0AAfter%20a%20year%20of%20lockdowns%2C%20billionaires%20are%20%241.3%20trillion%20richer%0AThis%20company%20wants%20to%20bring%20NASA%u2019s%20airless%20tires%20to%20your%20bike%0AHow%20Starbucks%20plans%20to%20make%20its%20coffee%20carbon%20neutral%0ABY%20ADELE%20PETERS8%20MINUTE%20READ%0AA%20year%20ago%2C%20a%20coalition%20of%20some%20of%20the%20world%u2019s%20biggest%20brands%20embarked%20on%20an%20experiment%3A%20If%20they%20started%20selling%20everyday%20products%20like%20shampoo%20in%20reusable%2C%20returnable%20packaging%20instead%20of%20single-use%20plastic%2C%20would%20customers%20buy%20it%3F%20Could%20a%20modern%20version%20of%20the%20milkman%20model%u2014where%20customers%20shop%20online%2C%20and%20then%20return%20empty%20containers%20via%20UPS%20to%20be%20cleaned%20and%20refilled%20for%20a%20new%20customer%u2014make%20business%20sense%3F%0A%0AFor%20brands%2C%20the%20new%20platform%2C%20called%20Loop%2C%20was%20a%20radical%20step%20to%20test%20fundamental%20changes%20to%20how%20they%20package%20and%20deliver%20products%2C%20driven%20by%20consumer%20pressure%20to%20deal%20with%20the%20problem%20of%20plastic%20pollution.%20The%20first%20pilots%20started%20in%20May%202019.%20The%20tests%20have%20been%20successful%20enough%20that%20the%20system%20is%20now%20rapidly%20expanding%20and%20will%20soon%20launch%20in%20retail%20stores.%0A%0A%0A%5BPhoto%3A%20courtesy%20Loop%5D%0A%u201CCompanies%20are%20looking%20for%20new%20ways%20to%20address%20packaging%20and%20reduce%20waste%2C%20and%20consumers%20are%20demanding%20it%2C%u201D%20says%20Steve%20Yeh%2C%20a%20project%20manager%20at%20H%E4agen-Dazs%2C%20the%20Nestl%E9-owned%20ice%20cream%20brand.%20The%20brand%20committed%20major%20resources%20to%20developing%20new%20packaging%20for%20the%20pilot%3A%20a%20novel%20stainless%20steel%20ice%20cream%20canister%20that%u2019s%20designed%20to%20keep%20ice%20cream%20cold%20longer.%20It%20then%20can%20be%20sent%20back%2C%20sterilized%20in%20a%20state-of-the-art%20cleaning%20system%2C%20and%20reused.%20%28It%20also%20looks%20a%20lot%20nicer%20on%20your%20counter.%29%0AThe%20system%20is%20designed%20to%20be%20simple%20for%20consumers%u2014in%20theory%2C%20nearly%20as%20easy%20as%20buying%20something%20in%20a%20disposable%20package%20and%20throwing%20that%20package%20in%20the%20trash.%20Online%20orders%20are%20delivered%20in%20a%20reusable%20tote%2C%20and%20when%20a%20customer%20has%20an%20empty%20container%2C%20it%20goes%20back%20in%20the%20tote%2C%20the%20customer%20schedules%20a%20pickup%2C%20the%20packages%20are%20returned%20for%20reuse%2C%20and%20the%20customer%20gets%20back%20a%20deposit%20that%20they%20paid%20for%20the%20package%20%28or%2C%20if%20they%u2019ve%20reordered%20the%20product%2C%20the%20deposit%20stays%20in%20an%20account%20and%20they%20don%u2019t%20pay%20it%20again%29.%20Despite%20using%20heavier%20packages%2C%20more%20transportation%2C%20and%20cleaning%2C%20it%20has%20a%20lower%20carbon%20footprint%20than%20single-use%20packaging.%20And%20it%20keeps%20packages%20out%20of%20landfills%20and%20the%20ocean.%20%u201CWe%20all%20know%20that%20recycling%20alone%20will%20not%20be%20enough%2C%u201D%20says%20Sara%20Wingstrand%2C%20who%20leads%20the%20innovation%20team%20at%20the%20Ellen%20MacArthur%20Foundation%2C%20an%20organization%20focused%20on%20the%20circular%20economy.%20%u201CThis%20is%20a%20whole%20new%20way%20to%20actually%20think%20about%20how%20you%20can%20bring%20products%20to%20people.%u201D%0AADVERTISING%0A%0A%0A%0AABOUT%20THE%20AUTHOR%0AAdele%20Peters%20is%20a%20staff%20writer%20at%20Fast%20Company%20who%20focuses%20on%20solutions%20to%20some%20of%20the%20world%27s%20largest%20problems%2C%20from%20climate%20change%20to%20homelessness.%20Previously%2C%20she%20worked%20with%20GOOD%2C%20BioLite%2C%20and%20the%20Sustainable%20Products%20and%20Solutions%20program%20at%20UC%20Berkeley%2C%20and%20contributed%20to%20the%20second%20edition%20of%20the%20bestselling%20book%20%22Worldchanging%3A%20A%20User%27s%20Guide%20for%20the%2021st%20Century.%22%20More%0A%0AInnovation%20in%20your%20inbox%0ASign%20up%20for%20the%20daily%20newsletter%0A%0ASIGN%20UP%0ASee%20All%20Newsletters%0AADVERTISEMENT%0A%0AFEATURED%20VIDEO%0AADVERTISEMENT%0A%0A