Two New World stores are hosting a two-year trial of a new returnable deli container system, kicking off an initiative led by Bonson Packaging and co-funded by the Ministry for the Environment.  The trial supports Foodstuffs’ wider commitments to reducing single-use packaging and sending less waste to landfill. 
 
The two-year trial, known as RePlay, has begun at New World Birkenhead on Auckland’s North Shore and New World Metro Willis Street in Wellington. Developed by Bonson, RePlay enables customers to buy deli goods in reusable containers with a simple tap of their phone wallet or bank card. 
 
How it works:  

• Customer chooses a product from the deli. 
• Deli team selects a RePlay container which has a permanent QR code. Deli team scans the container’s QR code and fills it with the chosen product. 
• Customer taps their bank card or phone wallet at the deli counter to ‘borrow’ the container (this validates the card; no holding charge applied). 
• Customer pays for the deli product at checkout as normal. 
• After use, customer removes the deli sticker, rinses the container, and returns it to the store’s RePlay smart bin. 
• The container’s permanent QR code is scanned automatically when it is returned to the designated smart bins in store. Deli team wash and sterilise the container, readying it for reuse. 
If the container is returned within four weeks, there is no charge. If returned late, Bonson will charge $3 to help replenish the fleet of containers. However, customers can get a partial refund of $1 if they return the container within six months. 

Foodstuffs Sustainable Packaging Manager, Debra Goulding said: “The trial is about seeing if returnable packaging can work in supermarkets at scale. We know there’s often a gap between what people say they’ll do and what they actually do. We’re going to learn if a returnable system can help customers bridge that gap, and whether returnable containers can become the new normal in supermarkets.”  
 
Bonson has been a trusted supply partner to Foodstuffs for many years and approached the co-op with RePlay. While Foodstuffs has previously explored reusable container systems, none have proven viable - until now. 
 
Bonson Packaging’s, General Manager Rodney Bennett said: “We believe RePlay has real potential because it's built on a circular business model - packaging as a service using food-grade, durable polypropylene." 
 
Instead of supermarkets buying and restocking single-use containers, Bonson supplies a fleet of RePlay returnable containers, supported by the ‘Tap to RePlay’ software and smart bin technology – there's no app involved. This system is designed to keep packaging in circulation at high value rather than being downcycled. 
 
A key part of the trial is learning how many times containers can be reused and understanding the customer return rate. The focus for now is on the two New World stores participating in the trial and learning what customers think.  

For more information, visit: https://www.newworld.co.nz/who-we-are/environment-and-sustainability/returnable-containers