Share your thoughts about Kenco's Eco Refill pack here and be entered into our prize draw..

[OliviaMumsnet]

Some of you will remember that last year we ran a campaign with Kenco to send three lucky Mumsnetters to visit coffee farms in Costa Rica.

Well, Kenco were so delighted with the response that they now want to hear from Mumsnetters' about sustainability and the packaging for their instant coffee range.

Kenco has recently launched a new resealable Eco Refill pack and wants to find out what Mumsnetters think about it!

Everyone who posts their thoughts on this subject will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win £250 of vouchers for a store of their choice.

Some background and information....The Eco Refill pack has 97% less packaging weight compared to Kenco jars .

The packs themselves can be sent to Kenco free of charge for TerraCycle® recycling and for every pack returned they will donate 2p to the charity of your choice.
The Eco Refill pack is designed to replace the traditional glass jar that instant coffee comes in and the idea is you buy/ have a jar that you decant the granules into from the Eco Refill Pack.

Please add your own thoughts on this product and on sustainability and packaging for instant coffee below, but here are some questions to get you thinking!
What do you think about this?
What do you think is good about this versus buying glass jars every time you buy coffee?
What is bad about it?
Do you think this is something all coffee manufacturers should do?
What else could they do to improve the sustainability?
Do you think this is a product you would buy?
If so why? If not, why not?
Over to you......
MN Towers

[Amapoleon]

What do you think about this? Really good idea

What do you think is good about this versus buying glass jars every time you buy coffee?
Better for environment.

What is bad about it?
Can't think of a negative.

Do you think this is something all coffee manufacturers should do? Yes

What else could they do to improve the sustainability? Look at packaging in general.

Do you think this is a product you would buy?
If so why? If not, why not?

Yes I would buy it, if the price was right.

[O00O]

As one of the people who wrote to Kenco a few years ago, asking them to consider more sustainable packaging options, and specifically this type of pack, I would like to say a big Thank you to them for making it happen.
I am delighted that they have now decided to seriously promote the product, raising awareness, and encouraging a more favourable pricing and offers strategy on the refill packs.
It had disappointed me, that until recently, all of my local outlets which stocked the (200g) refills were charging more for them than the 200g jars.

I can't say that the new 150g pack size particularly appeals to me; but it is not really an inconvenience; I preferred the 200g size. I can't say I'm personally too fond of the big green 'eco' blazon either; but I can see the need for it, or reasoning behind it.

I hope that this is the beginning of a revolution, where we see an industry wide move towards more sustainable solutions in packaging. It is about time!

I have seen some criticism of the eco-refill pack; but feel that the points made are rather biased, and not wholly correct.

The piece suggests that the new pack is less sustainable than glass jars; because it uses plastic, and that there are no facilities to recycle this type of pack in the UK.
The eco-pack uses less plastic than a jar lid, so comparatively reducing the amount of oil used in it's production. There are significant carbon savings over lifecyle analysis; and the facilities to recycle this packaging can and should be developed here.

[titfertat]

What do you think about this?
Great idea - much less wasteful

What do you think is good about this versus buying glass jars every time you buy coffee?
Lighter, cheaper, enables you to reuse glass instead of just recycling, which is more environmentally friendly.

What is bad about it?
Although the pouches can apparently be recycled, my bet is that the vast majority of them will end up in the bin, which is potentially worse than buying (and recycling) glass each time.
Looking on the website, it is confusing how you are supposed to return the pouches for recycling - do you have to join the "Kenco Refill Eco Brigade"? Do you have to be an organisation? All looks a bit off-putting.

Do you think this is something all coffee manufacturers should do?
If it is proven to be more "green", then yes.

What else could they do to improve the sustainability?
Ensure the pouches can be recycled easily (i.e. not requiring them to be posted off)

Do you think this is a product you would buy?
Probably

If so why? If not, why not?
I buy Kenco sometimes already, and this would save me a bit of money and (allegedly) be more eco-friendly.

[foofi]

I don't personally buy or drink coffee, but if I did, this seems like a good idea. I do agree though that having to post back the packs is rather complicated and a lot of people will end up putting them into landfill. At least you can re-use a glass jar yourself, but you can't re-use the plastic packaging from this. It would also need to be significantly cheaper.

[Mamazon]

I think it is a very good idea. and one i think will catch on. UNlike some other products that can be messy to transfer into the original container coffee is quite easy to pour without causing a mess.

Yes its something i would buy and i do like the fact that you can post the packs back to them for recycling.

i haven't actually compared the pricews but i would hope that once the product is established that the price is significantly lower to equate for the cheaper form of packaging.

[PrettyCandles]

What do you think about this?
Excellent idea. We do it already by buying the cheapest offer on the Kenco coffee that we like (which is not necessarily the biggest jar) and decanting it into a more comfortable-sized jar. The idea is not, in fact, new: my mum used to buy instant coffee in keepsake jars with glass lids, then refill the jars from more simply packed coffee, or reuse the jars for other products.
What do you think is good about this versus buying glass jars every time you buy coffee?
Less weight to lug home. Potentially less waste and smaller carbon footpritn to manufacture.
What is bad about it?
I would prefer a biodegradable pack that I could rip up and put straight into my compost heap.
Do you think this is something all coffee manufacturers should do?
All manufacturers of appropriate products - cocoa/coffee/spices/household cleaning products, anything suitable.
What else could they do to improve the sustainability?
Encourage/lobby provision of local plastics recycling, so that it could be included in our doorstep recycling.
Do you think this is a product you would buy?
Yes
If so why? If not, why not?
As above. Tho I don't know how much it costs, so may not use it if it is not cost-effective.

[Gilly1001]

fantastic idea, the packaging is ideal.

[Gilly1001]

brillaint idea, the packaging is ideal,

[EvoDude]

I thought the new refill packs were an excellent idea till I visited my local Asda yesterday (The Jewel, Edinburgh). The price of a 150gm pack was £3.65 compared to a 200gm jar at £2.68. Almost a Pound dearer for 50gm less! When the advert was first released I never imagined we would have to pay such a high surcharge to help the environment by using less glass. Needless to say the 'Eco-pack' stayed on the shelf and will remain there till it is, at least, competitively priced.
Shame on you, Kenco.