World Refill Day highlights refillable packaging’s promise and pitfalls

Today, on World Refill Day (16 June), the spotlight is on refillable packaging—an often-overlooked solution in the fight against plastic waste. While consumer awareness is high (three-quarters support refillable options in stores), the refillable packaging movement remains small in scale, representing under 2% of total consumer packaging globally.

Where we stand now

Refillable packaging—popular in categories like beauty and spirits thanks to salon, bar, and subscription models—is gaining traction. Yet many FMCG sectors still rely heavily on single-use formats, and the infrastructure needed for widespread reuse isn’t fully in place.

Challenges ahead

• Infrastructure gaps: Reusable systems thrive in hospitality and niche markets, but nationwide rollouts are held back by collection, cleaning, and tracking limitations.

• Corporate ambition vs execution: Brands have committed to refill schemes—yet scale remains elusive, particularly when addressing flexible packaging and multilayers.

Highlights & Stumbling Blocks from 2025

• Innovators: Brands like ecoSPIRITS (bar returns), L’Oréal (refillable beauty), and Ocado (home-delivered reusable containers) are leading by example.

• Hurdles: High costs, consumer confusion, and regulatory challenges—especially during economic pressure—have stalled broader adoption.

What needs to happen

• Better infrastructure – Investing in robust reverse-logistics and tracking is crucial.

• Cross-sector cooperation – Sharing standards and systems across industries will reduce fragmentation.

• Supportive policies – Policy frameworks, such as refill mandates in France and Chile, are starting to drive systemic change

• Consumer education – Clarity on how to reuse and return refills will determine long-term success.

World Refill Day offers a powerful moment to reflect: refillable packaging holds real promise—but to scale, it needs infrastructure, policy, and public buy-in.