Ocado Retail has become the first supermarket in the UK to trial reusable packaging for its online deliveries.

Through the pilot Ocado will use reusable containers to deliver food and household items.

If every household opted to reuse one item a week, single use packaging could be reduced by 1.4bn items a year, according to Ocado.

Phase one starts this month and covers rice and pasta, while phase two later this year will focus on packaging for detergent and fabric conditioner.

“The reusable container is pre-filled with the product and delivered to customers alongside the rest of their Ocado shop,” explains the supermarket.

“Customers then return the empty container to their next Ocado driver. The containers are then collected from Ocado and hygienically washed before being filled again at the supplier.

“Each vessel replaces up to five single-use plastic items and is designed to be used over 60 times, leading to a significant reduction in single-use plastic over time.”

Ocado retail product director Simon Hinks said: “We’re proud to be the first major supermarket to pilot an online reusable packaging scheme.

“Most people understand the concept and know it works in a physical store, but this trial brings the solution straight to customers’ doors.

“Our customers are already used to giving their bags back to our drivers for recycling - so this is a really sensible next step for us to help our customers reduce single-use plastic on products they buy frequently.”

Also involved is the UK Refill Coalition, which is convened by reuse organisation GoUnpackaged and includes Ocado Retail, Aldi and supply chain firm CHEP, among its members.

"We are delighted to see Ocado Retail bring a direct-to-consumer reusable packaging solution to market,” said the Coalition.

“As a Coalition we share the mutual objective of reducing single-use plastic packaging and believe that the solutions we have developed present a landmark opportunity for us to make a step change in the commercialisation of reusable packaging which we know can play a significant role in the reduction of single-use plastic packaging.”

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