WWF and Ellen MacArthur Foundation spotlight reuse scalability issues in Global South
A new report by the WWF and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation examines case studies of reusable packaging implementation in countries in the Global South. The NGOs call on policymakers to learn from local businesses that are already implementing tangible reuse solutions.
“Companies in the Global South are facing common challenges to scaling reuse solutions, including access to finance required for upfront infrastructure investments and regulatory restrictions on delivering certain products in reusable packaging,” the report authors say.
“Policy is critical to create enabling conditions to drive the coordinated action required to accelerate reuse globally. To be most effective, reuse systems must be tailored to the local context. However, certain universal enabling conditions can support the transition. The global plastics treaty offers a crucial opportunity to accelerate the transition from single-use to reusable products and systems.”
While Indonesia, the Philippines, and India are identified as the fastest-developing flexible packaging markets in the world, the report showcases examples of how companies in the Global South are creating value by implementing active reuse systems.
The document presents reuse solutions for beverage packaging in Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Kenya, and India, for on-site and takeaway food in Costa Rica, Colombia, and India, and for personal, homecare, and cupboard ingredients in Indonesia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mexico, Chile, South Africa, and Kenya.
Beverage containers
Glassia offers purified water in glass bottles with recyclable aluminum caps (Image credit: Glassia).The authors state that scaling and replicating the reuse solutions for beverages presented in the report presents a “significant environmental opportunity,” as drinks containers represent 14% of plastics in the environment.
Glassia, a company based in Vietnam and the Philippines, implements a return-on-the-go reuse model for purified water in glass bottles with recyclable aluminum caps. The case study reveals that charging a fee if bottles are not returned can increase return rates. Offering “cleaning-as-a-service” could increase the return on investment in reuse infrastructure.
In Indonesia, Danone has partnered with the local start-up IziFill to introduce water dispensers and reusable jugs to offer mineral water on-the-go in universities and food courts. The report notes that this case study reveals the importance of infrastructure to scaling reuse.
The Fresh Network has installed similar refill-on-the-go beverage dispensers in Kenya, the Philippines, and India. The dispenser distributes safe and affordable milk in small shops in low-income, underserved urban neighborhoods.
On-site and takeaway food
The report highlights that many countries considered part of the Global South have been using reusable packaging long before it was touted for its environmental sustainability. One example is India’s dabbawala system, which delivers hot lunches from homes and restaurants in metal boxes, which are returned when empty, typically on bikes.
In India, Infinity Box works with corporate clients to offer reusable packaging for large-scale catering (Image credit: Infinity Box).Also, in India, Infinity Box works with corporate clients to offer reusable packaging for large-scale catering, on average, preventing the use of around 70,000 single-use packaging items per day in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bangalore.
In Costa Rica, the Ficus Box offers reusable F&B packaging for meal prep companies, small restaurants, school cafeterias, and events, such as fairs and food markets. The company provides plates and cups from durable and recyclable PP and arranges on-site collection before washing and reusing the serviceware.
Vytal is a tech reuse solution operating in 17 countries, including in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. The Vytal phone application provides reusable serviceware to restaurants, canteens, event organizers, and caterers. Major partners include PepsiCo, KFC, Domino’s Pizza, and Uber Eats.
Similarly, in Colombia, Xiclo works with catering partners to provide reusable packaging services. Xiclo has reusable packaging, drop-off points, and on-site cleaning and sanitizing. Each food container is expected to be in use 1,000 times if treated properly.
Personal and home care packaging
In South Africa and Zimbabwe, Sonke is dispensing cooking oil, including its own brand SunQueen (Image credit: Sonke).The report says that home, personal care, and food products are most often sold in flexible packaging in countries in the Global South. Such packaging is identified as the most challenging from a waste and pollution perspective, particularly in regions reliant on informal waste collection.
Indonesia’s Aler is a distribution and retail company focused on selling home and personal care and basic food staples in return for on-the-go and return-from-home models. It recently partnered with Unilever Indonesia to scale its laundry detergents, dish soap, and floor cleaner refill solution.
Mercado Circular is part of Demaria, a well-known Chilean cleaning products brand. Operating in Chile and Mexico, it offers a range of reuse services, including refill machines, tracking software, and operational support.
The Smartfill dispensers for low-cost products, such as detergent, oats, sugar, and rice, are available in South Africa, Kenya, and Bangladesh. The company currently has 28 active dispensers in small, usually family-owned neighborhood stores. Each dispenser has the potential to provide about 2,000 transactions per month in a small store and 5,000 in a large store.
In South Africa and Zimbabwe, Sonke is dispensing cooking oil, including its own brand SunQueen, through its refill-on-the-go vending machines. It currently delivers 50,000 to 70,000 liters of cooking oil to market each month. The report authors note that cooking oil is a more economically viable entry point for refillable solutions than home care products.
