Loop is a global reuse platform that aims to eliminate the idea of waste by letting shoppers buy products in reusable packaging.
A division of New Jersey-based waste company TerraCycle, Loop operates a global reverse supply chain: It collects used packaging from consumers and retailers, sorts and stores the packages, cleans them and returns them to manufacturers to refill.
The program debuted in Portland, Oregon-area Fred Meyer stores, a Kroger banner, last year.
Since its inception in 2019, Loop has continued to expand.
The program started in Paris, with major grocery chain Carrefour. Loop has also moved into restaurants, with a reusable packaging partnership with Burger King and Tim Hortons locations in the U.S. and Canada.
Loop works with more than 200 consumer product companies and more than a dozen major retailers.
“The goal for Loop is to create an ecosystem of buy anywhere, return anywhere, to be as convenient as possible for the consumer, as convenience is what fueled the increase in single-use packaging,” said TerraCycle and Loop founder Tom Szaky, who noted a strong consumer response to the program. “The more retailers who make Loop accessible, the better it is for their customers. More and more consumers are seeking sustainable solutions and voting with their wallets to show support for those businesses that are doing something. It makes sense for retailers and brands to make their consumers happy in addition to helping solve the waste crisis.”
See also: Kroger’s Fred Meyer Closes the Loop