Loop, a “circular shopping system” that enables consumers to responsibly consume products, launched a pilot program in the Mid-Atlantic region of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Loop is an initiative from TerraCycle, an innovative waste management company whose mission is to “Eliminate the Idea of Waste.” Operating nationally across 21 countries, TerraCycle partners with leading consumer product companies, retailers, cities and facilities to recycle hard-to-recycle waste.
First announced at the World Economic Forum in January, Loop enables consumers to responsibly consume a variety of commonly used products from leading consumer brands in customized, brand-specific durable packaging that is delivered in a specially-designed reusable shipping tote. When finished with the product, the packaging is collected, cleaned, refilled and reused — creating a revolutionary circular shopping system.
The company also announced The Kroger Co. and Walgreens as the founding retailers in the U.S.
Consumers can go to www.loopstore.com, www.thekrogerco.com/loop or www.walgreens.com/loop to place an order. They will receive their durable products in Loop’s exclusively designed shipping tote. After use, consumers place the empty containers into their Loop totes and go online to schedule a pickup from their home. Loop will clean the packaging with cutting-edge technology so that each product may be safely reused and will promptly replenish products as needed to the consumer.
“Loop was designed from the ground-up to reinvent the way we consume by leveraging the sustainable, circular milkman model of yesterday with the convenience of e-commerce,” said Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of Loop and TerraCycle. “TerraCycle came together with dozens of major consumer product companies from P&G to Nestle to Unilever, the World Economic Forum Future of Consumption Platform, logistics and transportation company UPS and leading retailers Kroger and Walgreens to create a simple and convenient way to enjoy a wide range of products, customized in brand-specific durable and reusable packaging.”