The Kroger Co., a grocery retailer, and Loop, the circular reuse platform developed by TerraCycle, have launched a new way for customers to shop, offering a selection of products in reusable packaging rather than in single-use plastic.
Through a first-of-its-kind partnership in the US, customers can now walk into one of 25 Kroger-owned Fred Meyer stores in the Portland metro area and purchase more than 20 products from leading consumer brands packaged in reusable containers.
“Kroger is committed to achieving lasting positive change for billions of people and for our planet. To do this, we’ve developed a shared-value ESG framework that unlocks greater business value as we work collectively to create more resilient, equitable, and sustainable systems,” said Keith Dailey, Kroger’s group vice of corporate affairs chief impact officer. “Our pioneering and exclusive partnership with Loop is an illustration of this commitment, and we are honored to be the first grocery retail partner for Loop in the US and work with Our Brands and consumer packaged goods partners to advance our mission.”
“Loop’s goal has always been to grow, scale and be accessible to consumers around the world,” says Tom Szaky, Founder and CEO of TerraCycle and Loop. “With the world’s largest retailers bringing Loop to physical brick and mortar locations, we are giving consumers what they’ve been asking for since Loop was introduced in 2019 – the ability to purchase the products they use every day in durable, reusable containers, with the convenience of shopping at their local market.”
The new Loop assortment includes a combination of well-known food and household products from a range of brands, including Arbor Teas, Cascade, Clorox, Gerber, Nature’s Heart, Nature’s Path, Pantene, Seventh Generation, and Stubb’s, as well as Kroger’s Simple Truth brand. More brands are expected to be added to the Loop product portfolio in the coming months.
“Our focus on innovative solutions as we continue on our Zero Hunger | Zero Waste journey aligns with Loop’s mission to create a convenient circular packaging platform,” said Lisa Zwack, Kroger’s head of sustainability. “Customers are increasingly seeking out sustainable products and services that fit their lifestyle, and this collection makes it convenient. As the first grocer in America to offer these products, Kroger is pleased to take another meaningful step toward a world with zero-waste.”
Customers can purchase their Loop-ready products in refillable, reusable containers found in branded displays in participating Fred Meyer stores. After a customer uses the products, they can return the empty packaging to the Loop collection bin located at each participating store. Loop will then pick up the empty containers to be cleaned, refilled, and made available for purchase by a new customer. Customers will be charged a small packaging deposit upon purchase, and a full refund is given once the package is returned.
Loop’s movement to an in-store retail model began in Paris, France with Carrefour in December 2020. In May 2021, Loop launched in-store at AEON in Japan and in-store at Tesco in September 2021. Additionally, Loop launched a reusable packaging partnership with McDonald’s in the UK and recently with Burger King and Tim Hortons in select restaurants in the US and Canada, respectively.
