Unilever Bangladesh champions sustainability with URefill initiative

BANGLADESH – Unilever Bangladesh has taken a significant step toward sustainability with the launch of the URefill initiative, aimed at reducing plastic waste and promoting eco-friendly consumer habits.

The initiative, as reported by the Financial Express, introduces an innovative refill machine designed to dispense liquid products, making sustainable shopping both easy and accessible. 

The URefill machine is a pioneering solution, reportedly the first of its kind. It enables consumers to refill their bottles and reduce their plastic footprint by up to 90%.

This shift represents a transformative approach to purchasing and using everyday products, with tangible environmental and economic benefits.

Consumers can save approximately 20% per serving by opting to refill instead of buying new packaging, making sustainability more affordable.

Initially launched in the domestic Badda markets, Unilever Bangladesh plans to expand the URefill initiative beyond urban areas to reach a broader audience.

Shadman Sadikin, Unilever Bangladesh’s Homecare Marketing Director, emphasized addressing plastic pollution with tailored, scalable solutions.

“We aim to inspire consumers to be part of the refill-reuse revolution,” Sadikin said.

The URefill machine, developed in partnership with Unilever’s global TRANSFORM initiative and Bopinc, underwent research starting in 2021. Prototypes were finalized in 2023 to suit the local market.

The initiative aligns with Unilever’s broader commitment to tackling plastic waste. In August 2023, the company launched the CIRCLE Alliance, a public-private partnership co-founded by Unilever, USAID, and EY.

With a US$21 million investment, the alliance focuses on scaling packaging circularity and reducing plastic waste while empowering women in the informal waste sector across the Global South.

Unilever Chief Sustainability Officer Rebecca Marmot highlighted the alliance’s collaborative approach to enterprise acceleration.

“CIRCLE’s model – combining grant funding and bespoke business support – will help scale solutions for packaging circularity, whether through driving collection and recycling or reuse–refill models,” Marmot explained.

Similarly, in Nigeria, Unilever announced its achievement of plastic neutrality in November 2024, a major milestone in addressing the nation’s plastic waste crisis.

According to the company, plastic neutrality means collecting and processing more plastic than it releases into the environment through its products.

Tim Kleinebenne, Managing Director of Unilever Nigeria, emphasized the company’s commitment to a circular economy, ensuring plastic remains in use rather than polluting the environment.

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