Over the past 40 years considerable efforts have been made to reduce the
environmental impacts of packaging by focusing on issues such as light-weighting and
material selection. However, although these redesign approaches are commendable and
should be encouraged, they are not having a radical effect on reducing the environmental
impact of packaging or addressing the broader issues of sustainability. Refillable packaging
systems may provide part of the solution to this problem, however in the past attempts to
extend the use of refillables beyond a few traditional areas have met with little success
(Darlow, 2003). In recognition of this a collaborative research project - ‘Refillable packaging
systems’, between Loughborough University, The Boots Company and DEFRA set out to
investigate amongst other things, the barriers and drivers found to influence the adoption and
success of refillable packaging. This paper reports on those findings.
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Citation
LOFTHOUSE and BHAMRA, 2006. Investigation into the drivers and barriers affecting refillable packaging. IN: Waste 2006, Resource Management Policy & Practice, 19-21 September, Stratford.