Innovative Waste-Free Shopping Embraced by Major Corporations

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, several major corporations committed to implementing TerraCycle’s new Loop shopping system. Efforts aim to leverage eco-conscious consumers’ desires to reduce waste. Loop is intended to provide access to products in durable, reusable containers that consumers then return to be cleaned and refilled.

About TerraCycle

Lead by CEO Tom Szaky, TerraCycle specializes in providing green solutions for hard-to-recycle materials. According to an Offering Circular from January of 2018, TerraCycle has three major sources of revenue.

• National Recycling Programs
• Zero Waste Boxes
• Material Sales

Focusing on plastics like PP/PE and combinations of HDPE/PET gives TerraCycle a unique market in which to sell. While many buyers are interested in traditional PET plastics, TerraCycle does well by occupying a non-traditional niche in material sales.

Plastic recycling is not the only area of interest for TerraCycle. From denim messenger bags to plant pots made from recycled electronics, the eco-conscious consumer can find a range of products on TerraCycle’s retail site.

How Does Loop Work?

Loop is designed to bring commonly discarded materials into the circular economy. Their online platform allows consumers to shop for everyday essentials like laundry detergent, deodorant, and grocery items like coffee and ice cream. Items are delivered in a reusable tote with no extra packaging. As their containers are emptied, consumers simply place them back into a tote and schedule a pick-up from their home. The automated system delivers refilled containers to homes as scheduled.

The Trial Process

Consumers in France and parts of the Northeastern US will have a chance to try the new system this year on limited products. Brands like Tide, Crest, Dove, and Clorox will be debuting some of their products in durable, reusable containers. The pilot tests of Loop will offer about 300 products. If trials go well, they’ll expand their partnership with TerraCycle, including even more items for purchase.

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