In a bid to help consumers reduce their plastic consumption, L’Occitane en Provence offers reusable aluminium bottles and in-store dispensers for its liquid soap, shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel and oil products.
Introduced across Europe, Asia, Canada, and the USA in 2021, the Refill Fountain claims to be simple to operate, convenient to use, and versatile to implement.
Consumers are invited to purchase and bring an empty L’Occitane’s Forever Bottle, said to be made from 100% recycled aluminium. Available in 250ml and 500ml sizes, the bottle is described as lightweight and recyclable at end-of-life, and is reportedly sold at the same price as the equivalent single-use product.
Once the bottle has been placed under the tap, users can choose between 250ml and 500ml refills of L’Occitane’s Classic or Citrus Verbena Shower Gels, Almond Shower Oil, Shea Verbena Liquid Soap, Intensive Repair Shampoo, or Intensive Repair Conditioner.
According to L’Occitane, the Refill Fountain is calibrated to pour the right amount of product refill hygienically. It is said to be specially engineered to achieve the necessary quality control, health and safety standards, and traceability.
Each product is dispensed according to its original batch number, as is recorded on every bottle; its list of ingredients is also specified. Consumers are advised to keep this label before the product has been consumed to check product information.
Once the bottle is empty, consumers are urged to use a sponge and/or bottle brush to clean up any leftover products, rinse and leave the bottle to dry for 1-2 days, then return it to a L’Occitane boutique to be refilled.
L’Occitane hopes that the initiative will enable consumers to contribute to its own plastic waste reduction efforts.
Refill Fountains are available at various international boutiques. These include, but are not limited to, the United Kingdom – Glasgow, Cardiff, York, Oxford, Harrogate, and Richmond, among others – as well as Australian boutiques in Bondi, Doncaster, Chermside, Booragoon, and Hobart; and the Langham Place, IFC, and New Town Plaza boutiques in Hong Kong.
In similar news, Sonke has just installed its first automated refill store in Johannesburg, using it to dispense Unilever brands such as Sunlight and Handy Andy. The move is expected to lower prices by up to 60% while promoting refill behaviours in local communities.
This comes after Unilever’s collaborations with Vega Innovations, Bopinc, and Alner to pilot refill solutions in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, respectively. Encompassing brands like Dove, Sunsilk, and Sunlight, the developments sought for convenience, consumer control over product quantity and price, and an overall reduction in flexible plastic sachets.
Additionally, SC Johnson has unveiled a refill machine at pharmacy and retailer London Drugs, enabling consumers to fill reusable bottles with hand and dish soap brands such as Method and Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day. The brands are collectively working towards reducing plastics in retail by up to 93%.
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