(HUL) on Friday said it has launched its first ‘Smart Fill’ machine, an in-store vending model for its home care products to reuse, reduce and recycle plastic.
This initiative offers consumers an option to reuse their plastic bottles by refilling products from HUL’s brands like Surf Excel, Comfort and Vim through the use of this smart refillery, HUL said in a statement.
“Through this initiative, we wish to bring about a positive change in our society and make continuous progress towards a circular economy. The launch of Smart Fill vending machines is yet another step to address one of the challenges of managing plastic packaging waste,” said Prabha Narasimhan, who is executive director (home care) for Hindustan Unilever and vice-president (home care) for Unilever South Asia.
She said this innovation is expected to bring awareness and give consumers an opportunity to contribute effectively in managing plastic waste.
Currently, HUL has partnered with Reliance Smart and has installed vending machines at Reliance Smart Acme Mall in Mumbai on a pilot basis offering consumers a refilling option.
The company aims to use learnings from this pilot project to create a scalable refill business model in partnership with prominent retailers and modern trade outlets across the country.
Since 2018, HUL has facilitated safe disposal of over 1.5 lakh tonnes of post-consumer use plastic waste with the help of collection and disposal partners across India.
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