The scheme was initially rolled out at 35 supermarkets in April last year but has since been extended so that milkmen in Plymouth are now bringing JUGIT to doorsteps.
In a trial run this month customers in the Devon city will be able to buy milk bags containing semi-skimmed Country Life milk. They can then pour the two-pint plastic bags into a re-usable plastic jug that they keep.
Packaging waste
Designed to be a convenient and inexpensive way to reduce rubbish, Dairy Crest claims that together, the bags and jugs can cut milk-packaging waste by 75 per cent.
Dairy Crest says feedback from customers has so far been positive. Richard Pryor, innovations controller at Dairy Crest, said: “We know that the majority of consumers trying JUGIT find it easy to use and they like the additional benefit of its easy-open, easy-pour system”.
Extending the scheme
JUGGIT has been brought to many more supermarkets since its launch last year but Pryor told Dairy Reporter back in April that more work was still needed to create a supply chain that can meet demand for the packs on a nationwide basis.
“This will include designing the optimal customer solution to ensure efficient stock handling, replenishment and merchandising, [of JUGIT],” he said. “Designing secondary packaging that satisfies these customers’ store requirements, while maximising distribution efficiency [is also required] as well as designing new high speed end of line automated packing to bring everything together.”
Dairy Crest is one of a number of dairy processors working to cut packaging waste. By delivering milk to the majority of its clients through steel roll containers, trade association Dairy UK said dairies are cutting down on tens of thousands of tonnes of tertiary cardboard and plastic packaging.