Packaging

Ecover is highly selective with regard to packaging materials. We try to use as little packaging material as possible. We also ensure that our packages are reused. On top of that, all the packaging materials we use must be easily recyclable.

Ecover has selectively studied the use of our current packages. What’s more, we are already thinking about potential new packages that will be even better. For instance, we have an ongoing research programme for new package materials. Although some types of biodegradable plastic are already available, they are not always suitable for long-term storage of our products due to the nature the products, and they are not always suitable for large-scale use in our operations. An active research programme is thus indispensable.

In addition to strongly reducing the amount of packaging material, we are committed to reuse. More than 20 years ago, Ecover started offering consumers the option of in-shop refilling of product packages. You simply take your freshly emptied Ecover bottle to the shop, and it is refilled right there from a 25-litre container. That saves you a new package and a bit of money. We intentionally decided to use our own standard bottles as refill packages. The refill packages currently available in shops are more harmful to the environment and less biodegradable than polyethylene, the material used to make our standard bottles. You can refill them repeatedly until the bottle is worn out, but that can easily take a year or more. Everybody benefits from this way of doing things, with the environment being the biggest winner. Beside a reduced number of new packages, there’s less filling work, the transport containers are more compact, and even the 25-litre containers are brought back and cleaned. They typically make around eight round trips before they have to be replaced. We have calculated that putting around 35,000 of these 25-liter containers into use throughout all of Europe would yield a total savings of several million bottles.

Finally, the packaging materials are fully recyclable, and where possible they will be recycled together.

More information about the symbols we use on our packaging.