‘Proud to choose plastic’ refillable milk campaign

In October 2023, sustainable online grocer Abel & Cole launched Club Zero Refillable Milk, announcing it was ‘Proud to choose plastic.’ This disruptive, environmental cause campaign generated conversations about refillable packaging and created sustainable reuse consumer behaviour change.

Everyone’s used to glass bottles from the milkman. They’re sustainable, aren’t they? For their new refillable organic milk deliveries, Abel & Cole asked themselves a difficult question. What if plastic isn’t always the enemy? What if it was actually the best material for the job? After three years of trial and error plus multiple teams of experts, Abel & Cole cracked how to safely deliver, refill, and reuse plastic bottles of organic milk – a UK-first packaging innovation. The groundbreaking refillable 1L bottle would be supplied at no extra cost to the consumer, so they wouldn’t pay the price for helping the planet. Joining a growing Club Zero refillables range, Abel & Cole’s launch will save 450,000 single-use plastic milk bottles and 60 tonnes of carbon per year*.

After three years of trial and error plus multiple teams of experts, Abel & Cole cracked how to safely deliver, refill, and reuse plastic bottles of organic milk – a UK-first packaging innovation. The groundbreaking refillable 1L bottle would be supplied at no extra cost to the consumer, so they wouldn’t pay the price for helping the planet. Joining a growing Club Zero refillables range, Abel & Cole’s launch will save 450,000 single-use plastic milk bottles and 60 tonnes of carbon per year*.

Spanning all channels from brand building marketing to active customer trading, Abel & Cole’s brand-led ‘Proud to choose plastic’ campaign sparked important debate around sustainable packaging materials. Has switched 1 in 4 customers to shopping refills. And has created tangible environmental change – saving over 150,000 single-use plastic milk bottles and 18 tonnes of CO2 to date.

*Research can be found at abelandcole.co.uk/blog