The global reuse platform Loop officially launched in Canada with Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) as its retail partner. Initially rolling out to residents in most of Ontario, customers can shop for a wide variety of food and household products in refillable packaging, such as ice cream, sauces, snacks, pet food and toothpaste.
With the launch, Canada joins the United States, the United Kingdom and France as the Loop platform continues to expand around the world.
“The fact is that there’s too much plastic waste in our environment. We are part of the problem and must be part of the solution,” said Galen Weston, Executive Chairman, Loblaw Companies Limited. “We are actively reducing plastic waste in hundreds of ways in our business today through better processes, new materials, and packaging design. Loop is one of the most innovative opportunities as we work with them to make it easier for consumers to be part of the solution.”
"Loop is designed to be as convenient as the single-use shopping experience while creating a sustainable, circular model for consumption,” said Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of Loop and TerraCycle. “Collaboration is necessary to tackle the waste crisis head on. As Canada’s largest retailer, Loblaw’s operational scale […] will make Loop accessible to more shoppers and make meaningful progress toward our shared goal of reducing waste.”
Loop consumers shop for products in durable packaging that is reused until the end of its life. When ordering through www.loopstore.ca and maboutiqueloop.ca, consumers pay a deposit on each package which is fully refundable when it is returned. Packages are shipped using Loop Canada’s exclusive logistics provider, FedEx, which uses route optimization to help ensure efficient customer deliveries.
After use, consumers simply place the empty containers back into the Loop Tote, and then return the tote by either scheduling a free pickup online or dropping it off at one of the more than 500 participating FedEx retail locations in Ontario. Loop sorts and professionally cleans the packaging and tote bag to stringent health and safety standards so products can then be replenished as needed, creating a convenient, zero waste shopping system.
