THE USE OF REUSABLE PACKAGING IN

SAINSBURY’S SUPERMARKETS: AN ISM

ANALYSIS

INDIVIDUAL PROJECT REPORT

C11SK: SUSTAINABLE MARKETING

WORD COUNT: 2,677 words

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................. 3
2.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ........................................................ 3
3.0 KEY USER GROUPS ................................................................................... 5
4.0 ANALYSIS USING THE ISM TOOL ............................................................... 5
4.1 Individual ............................................................................................................... 6
4.1.1 Values and beliefs .................................................................................................................... 6
4.1.2 Costs and Benefits.................................................................................................................... 6
4.1.3 Habit........................................................................................................................................ 7
4.2 Social ..................................................................................................................... 7
4.2.1 Norms ...................................................................................................................................... 7
4.2.2 Roles and Identity .................................................................................................................... 8
4.3 Material ................................................................................................................. 8
4.3.1 Objects .................................................................................................................................... 8
4.3.2 Time and Schedules.................................................................................................................. 9

5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................................. 9

5.1 Individual ............................................................................................................... 9
5.1.1 Values and Beliefs .................................................................................................................... 9
5.1.2 Costs and Benefits.................................................................................................................... 9
5.1.3 Habit...................................................................................................................................... 10
5.2 Social ....................................................................................................................10
5.2.1 Norms .................................................................................................................................... 10
5.2.2. Roles and Identity ................................................................................................................. 10
5.3 Material ................................................................................................................10
5.3.1 Objects .................................................................................................................................. 10
5.3.2 Time and Schedules................................................................................................................ 11

6.0 REFERENCES .......................................................................................... 12

2
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The excessive usage of disposable packaging is a significant obstacle to sustainable
consumption and poses a serious threat to the environment. Although the majority of single-
use packaging is recycled, this still has a detrimental impact on the environment. The severity
of this issue is outlined in the first section of this report. One proposed solution to this problem
is to increase the use of reusable packaging, however this behaviour has currently only been
adopted by a minority of consumers and is used for a minority of products. It is not common
practice and seems to be particularly unusual in environments in which individuals shop most
frequently, namely supermarkets. Therefore, there is a need to stimulate a behavioural
change away from consumption based on single-use packaging towards reusable and
refillable packaging. This report uses the Scottish Government’s “Individual, Social, Material”
(ISM) Framework to investigate the barriers that currently exist to the greater use of refillable
packaging, specifically in the context of Sainsbury’s supermarkets. This analysis culminates in
a number of recommendations proposed at the individual, social, and material levels. It is
hoped that the implementation of these recommendations by Sainsbury’s will generate
sustainable change and make progress towards the use of reusable packaging and refill
stations becoming the new norm.

2.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

This report uses the Scottish Government’s “Individual, Social, Material” (ISM) Framework to
examine how Sainsbury’s plc can enable and encourage its shoppers to use reusable
containers and bags when shopping, instead of purchasing items packaged in single-use
material.

The issue of single-use packaging has been a significant environmental concern for a long
time. The vast majority of packaging that is used is single-use (FoodPrint, 2019) and therefore
gets discarded almost immediately upon use of the product. It is estimated that 77.7 million
tonnes of packaging waste were generated across Europe in 2018 (Eurostat, 2020). Packaging
is the most common use for “virgin materials” (Coelho et al., 2020: 1), with nearly two fifths
of new plastic produced being used for packaging materials (Plastics Europe, 2020). The high
prevalence of single-use plastic is a result of the desire for convenience and hygiene, as well

3
as reduced transport costs (BPF, 2021). However, the widespread use of disposable packaging
is associated with high levels of land and water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and the
production of dangerous contaminants and microplastics (FoodPrint, 2021; Lindwall, 2020).
This is a significant sustainability problem that needs to be addressed.

While 70% of packaging waste is recycled in the UK (Department of Environment, Food &
Rural Affairs, 2020), this is still a costly process that has a detrimental environmental impact
(Eco & Beyond, 2021) – it is arguably better to try to avoid single-use packaging (and therefore
the need to recycle or dispose of it) altogether. One proposed solution is the increased use of
reusable packaging for food and household items. Reusable packaging is “packaging that can
be used over many trips and a prolonged period of time” (GWP Group, 2021). Zero Waste
Europe (2020: 49) found that reusable packaging is generally the “most environmentally
friendly option” when compared to other forms of packaging. It is suggested that increased
use of reusable and decreased use of single-use packaging would be both environmentally
and economically beneficial (Coelho et al., 2020). The environmental benefits of reusable
packaging include decreased waste and carbon emissions, smaller demand for virgin
materials, a reduced amount of waste going to landfill, and more carbon efficient transport
of goods (GWP Group, 2021).

Despite a recent rise in the use of reusable containers and packaging (Reusable Packaging
Association, 2019; Smithers, 2018), it is still relatively unusual. Often the everyday consumer
environment does not lend itself well to the use of reusable packaging, for example in the
standard UK supermarket. This has not been helped by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
which has discouraged the use of refillable packaging to an extent due to fears over
cleanliness and virus transmission (Menjivar, 2021). Therefore, there is a need to fully
evaluate the obstacles which prevent the greater use of reusable packaging and to establish
what can be done to make this behaviour more prevalent across society. This report will
investigate the supermarket experience at Sainsbury’s specifically, exploring how a norm of
reusable, rather than single-use, packaging could be achieved.

4
3.0 KEY USER GROUPS
It is important to consider the beliefs and current behaviours of key user groups in the context
of the use of reusable packaging in supermarkets, specifically Sainsbury’s. Sainsbury’s aims to
appeal to a very wide section of the population by providing goods that all individuals need,
although there is a particular focus on mothers and those who shop for their families. This is
evidenced by campaigns such as “Feed Your Family for A Fiver” (Saunders, 2013). There is a
significant focus on convenience, quality and, more recently, good value for the consumer
(Sainsburys, 2021; Valentine, 2021; Vizard, 2020), which has proved popular with shoppers.
The emphasis on Sainsbury’s “convenience-led strategy” is particularly important, as the
brand’s success centres around making the shopping experience easy for its customers
(Saunders, 2013). Therefore, any attempt to encourage customers to use more refillable
packaging needs to prioritise this desire for convenience in order to be successful.

Regular shoppers at Sainsbury’s tend to be older, with an average age of 51 years old (IGD,
2017). This has implications for their shopping habits and attitudes towards sustainability
practices. Research has suggested that the older generation tend to engage less in sustainable
behaviours in comparison to young people. This is due to a feeling that they will not be
particularly impacted by environmental issues, and a tendency to believe that any personal
actions they undertake are unlikely to make a real difference in terms of sustainability (Haq
et al., 2010). This means that it may prove a challenge to convince the average Sainsbury’s
shopper to participate in efforts to use more sustainable packaging - this should be factored
into analysis and recommendations.

4.0 ANALYSIS USING THE ISM TOOL

The ISM tool was developed by Darnton and Horne (2013) to understand why individuals
behave in certain ways and shape these actions into more desirable behavioural patterns. It
focuses on factors that influence people’s behaviour at three different levels:
• Individual: factors that are personal to the individual that influence their behaviour,
such as attitudes, values, and beliefs.
• Social: societal and social factors that affect the individual’s decision making, such as
norms, institutions, and networks and relationships.

5
 • Material: wider macroenvironmental factors which influence individuals’ behaviour,
such as rules and regulations and infrastructure (Darnton & Horne, 2013).

Within each of these three contexts, there are many different factors which can be applied to
issues to identify which aspects promote the desired behaviour and where any obstacles to
this behaviour exist. Not all of these factors are relevant in this case and the length of this
report limits the extent to which these factors can be discussed.

4.1 Individual

4.1.1 Values and beliefs

An individual’s personal values and beliefs strongly influence their consumer behaviour and
consumption patterns. For example, individuals can hold strong beliefs related to
sustainability. There is already an appetite among consumers, particularly self-identified
“green consumers”, for more opportunities to reduce single-use and excessive packaging, as
they feel this would help to make their consumption habits more sustainable (Abboud, 2019).
This indicates that efforts from Sainsbury’s to give customers more opportunities to shop in
a sustainable manner, such as via the use of refill stations, would be welcomed. However, a
potential obstacle to the increased use of reusable packaging is the beliefs system of the older
customer. As discussed above, the average Sainsbury’s customer is aged 51 years old (IGD,
2017). It has been suggested that older individuals tend to be less concerned about
environmental issues and feel that they can do little to make a positive impact (Haq et al.,
2010). Therefore, there may potentially be a lack of willingness among older customers to
engage in schemes designed to promote reusable packaging practices, which is important to
consider.

4.1.2 Costs and Benefits

A major component of an individual’s decision-making process is the “cost-benefit
calculation” – the consideration of whether the positives derived from a certain behaviour or
decision are worth the costs and effort incurred (Darnton & Horne, 2013: 7). There are some
costs associated with using reusable packaging, namely the effort and funds required to
source and purchase refillable packaging, such as containers, bottles and bags. Individuals

6
must also make the effort to remember to bring these items with them each time they go
shopping. The benefit of doing so is that the shopper will be consuming in a more sustainable
manner that contributes to a group effort to protect the environment, however this does not
provide the customer with any immediate or tangible gratification. This may lead them to feel
that the costs of doing this outweigh the benefits. Therefore, Sainsbury’s must examine how
it can incentivise customers to make the effort to use reusable packaging, and thus generate
benefits that outweigh the costs of using reusable packaging.

4.1.3 Habit
As mentioned above, people need to remember to bring their reusable packaging items with
them when they go shopping to make their behaviour worthwhile. This may not always be
possible or may often slip their mind. For example, it has been reported that only 16.7% of
people that have a reusable coffee cup remember to use it every time they purchase a hot
drink (Hubbub Foundation, 2020). There must be a focus on how to develop a strong habit
among consumers where using reusable packaging during the household shop becomes
something of second nature and is done without “conscious thought” (Darnton & Horne,
2013: 7).

4.2 Social
4.2.1 Norms
Most products are currently packaged in single-use packaging, whether this is recyclable or
not, and the majority of individuals tend to purchase food and household items that are
packaged this way. Therefore, this can be said to be the norm. There is evidence that social
norms increase the prevalence of desired behaviour – that is if people believe that everyone
else is engaging in a particular behaviour, they are much more likely to adopt said behaviour
themselves (White et al., 2019). It is suggested that when there is not a social norm
surrounding a certain behaviour, it can put people off adopting this behaviour as it may be
deemed “not socially approved” (White et al., 2019: 127). Related to this, many individuals
feel there is an element of embarrassment currently associated with undertaking a more
rigorous approach to sustainability, such as the use of reusable containers (Manning, 2009).
This is an obstacle to achieving greater refillable packaging use.

7
There is now arguably a norm of using reusable bags instead of plastic carrier bags, especially
since the introduction of the single-use plastic bag charge (Scottish Government, 2021). This
demonstrates that sustainable behaviours can become standard practice, indicating that it is
possible to make the use of reusable packaging a norm with the right incentives (or
deterrents, as is the case with the bag charge) and narrative.

4.2.2 Roles and Identity

An individual’s behaviour is strongly related to their self-perceived role in society and their
identity, which is “a person’s innate sense of who they are” (Darnton & Horne, 2013: 8). For
example, a person may identify as a “green” consumer (Darnton & Horne, 2013), which is
relevant in the context of this report. It has been suggested that if a person identifies as a
green consumer and adopts one form of sustainable behaviour, they are very likely to engage
in other forms of sustainable practice (White et al., 2019). Therefore, it is likely that
Sainsbury’s customers who feel a sense of identity as a “green” consumer will welcome the
changes made to discourage the use of single-use packaging. The transition to more reusable
packaging is expected to be achieved relatively easily for these individuals. This will also help
to build a new norm among Sainsbury’s shoppers which, as discussed above, is crucial in
generating widespread positive behaviour change, particularly in the case of consumers who
do not necessarily identify as “green”.

4.3 Material
4.3.1 Objects
Objects are often required to make the adoption of desired behaviours easier. In the case of
reusable packaging, there are several objects which would make the transition to its increased
use smoother. Containers and other reusable receptacles should be easily accessible and
affordable to all shoppers in order to ensure that everyone can own the reusable items
required to participate. Furthermore, in a supermarket setting, there need to be dedicated
refill stations for food and household goods – this is essential as without these, the shoppers
fundamentally cannot carry out the desired actions and are forced to purchase items
packaged as single-use. While there are already some Sainsbury’s branches offering refill

8
stations for food and household goods, these are not commonplace and are being run as a
trial initiative for a very small set of products (Sainsbury’s, 2020). This means that not all
customers are able to access refill stations at their local store or can only use refillable
packaging for a few products.

4.3.2 Time and Schedules

The Sainsbury’s business strategy is focused on convenience (Sainsbury’s, 2021; Saunders,
2013), hence it is important that the pursuit of more sustainable consumer behaviour does
not undermine this core value. Therefore, the practice of using reusable packaging at
Sainsbury’s should not add significantly to the time it takes for customers to complete their
shopping trip. Single-use packaging makes it very easy for shoppers to quickly purchase items
and leave the store, compared to the greater time and effort that may be required to fill
reusable containers or bags, which could prove an obstacle to the adoption of this behaviour.

5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the analysis carried out using the Scottish Government’s ISM tool, the following
recommendations are proposed in order to encourage the increased use of reusable
packaging in Sainsbury’s stores:

5.1 Individual
5.1.1 Values and Beliefs
• Marketing materials dedicated to promoting reusable packaging and refill stations
should be launched, particularly targeting older shoppers. These should emphasise
the ease of using refillable packaging and the positive impact that can be achieved in
order to help overcome the apathy of the older generation towards sustainability
issues.

5.1.2 Costs and Benefits

• Sainsbury’s should create an incentive programme that rewards customers for using
reusable packaging and refill stations. For example, discounts on purchases where the
customer has used refillable packaging or an extra charge for products packaged in
single-use packaging, similar to the plastic bag charge. This will ensure that the

9
 benefits of using reusable packaging outweigh the associated costs, therefore
encouraging shoppers to adopt the behaviour.

5.1.3 Habit
• Reminders should be distributed to Sainsbury’s customers to prompt them to bring
and use reusable containers. These can be visual, such as posters and adverts, as well
as more targeted and personalised reminders, such as emails or text messages. With
time, it is hoped these practices will generate a desired habit among consumers
(White et al., 2019).

5.2 Social

5.2.1 Norms
• Efforts should be made to establish the use of reusable packaging as a norm. The most
effective way to do this would be to make refill stations and the use of refillable
packaging the “default option” at Sainsbury’s stores, as people will be more likely to
engage with the behaviour out of ease (White et al., 2019: 129).
• The creation of a norm could also be fostered through increased advertising and
prompts for customers to use refillable packaging, coupled with a reduction in the
prevalence of single-use packaging in Sainsbury’s stores.

5.2.2. Roles and Identity

• “Green” consumers are generally more likely to engage in sustainable behaviours. The
targeting of customers who identify as “green” in the promotion of this behaviour
should generate the “power of social influence” (White et al., 2019: 127), encouraging
other customers to participate and contributing to the building of a standard practice.

5.3 Material

5.3.1 Objects
• Reusable containers, bottles and bags should be available for sale at affordable prices
in all Sainsbury’s stores to ensure shoppers can acquire the items they need to
participate.

10
 • Refill stations should be installed in all large Sainsbury’s stores to allow customers to
access them easily as part of their regular shop.
• The viability of refill stations in smaller local convenience branches should be
evaluated in terms of convenience and space.
• More products should be included as options in the refill infrastructure to allow
greater use of refillable packaging and deter customers from opting for products
packaged in single-use material.

5.3.2 Time and Schedules

• Sainsbury’s refill stations should be designed to make the shopping experience as
smooth as possible. There should be enough resources and dispensers to cater for
shoppers in order to ensure that there will be no large queues. This is important
because if customers are forced to wait to use refill stations, they are likely to be
deterred from using them as it will add time to their shopping trip.
• Sainsbury’s should consider partnering with a sustainable home delivery brand such
as Loop UK. This would allow the company to offer “zero-waste” home deliveries to
its customers (Loop UK, 2021). This consolidates its convenience-based business
strategy, as consumers can avoid single-use packaging even when they do not have
time in their schedule to visit a physical store and are instead shopping online.

11
6.0 REFERENCES

Abboud, L. (2019) ‘Can we break our addiction to plastic? The future of packaging.’, Financial
Times, 14th November [online]. Available: https://channels.ft.com/rethink/addiction-to-
plastic/ [Accessed 22nd March 2021].

British Plastics Federation (2021) Plastic Packaging and the Environment [online]. Available:
https://www.bpf.co.uk/packaging/environment.aspx [Accessed 20th March 2021].

Coelho, P. M., Corona, B., ten Klooster, R. & Worrell, E. (2020) ‘Sustainability of reusable
packaging – current situation and trends’, Resources, Conservation & Recycling X, 6, pp.1-11.

Darnton, A. & Horne, J. (2013) Influencing behaviours – moving beyond the individual: ISM
User Guide [online]. Available: https://www.gov.scot/publications/influencing-behaviours-
moving-beyond-individual-user-guide-ism-tool/pages/1/ [Accessed 19th March 2021].

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2020) UK Statistics on Waste [online].
Available:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_
data/file/918270/UK_Statistics_on_Waste_statistical_notice_March_2020_accessible_FINA
L_updated_size_12.pdf [Accessed 20th March 2021].

Eco & Beyond (2021) The Impact of Packaging on the Environment: Is Plastic the Only Demon?
[online]. Available: https://www.ecoandbeyond.co/articles/the-impact-of-packaging-on-the-
environment/ [Accessed 20th March 2021].

Eurostat (2020) Packaging waste statistics [online]. Available:

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-
explained/index.php/Packaging_waste_statistics#Waste_generation_by_packaging_materia
l [Accessed 20th March 2021].

FoodPrint (2019) The FoodPrint of Food Packaging [online]. Available:

https://foodprint.org/wp-
content/uploads/2020/09/2020_09_22_FP_FoodPackagingReport_5FINAL.pdf [Accessed
20th March 2021].

FoodPrint (2021) The Environmental Impact of Food Packaging [online]. Available:

https://foodprint.org/issues/the-environmental-impact-of-food-packaging/ [Accessed 20th
March 2021].

12
GWP Group (2021) Reusable Packaging [online]. Available:
https://www.gwp.co.uk/advantages/reusable-packaging/ [Accessed 20th March 2021].

Haq, G., Brown, D. & Hards, S. (2010) Older People and Climate Change: The Case for Better
Engagement, Stockholm: Stockholm Environment Institute [online]. Available:
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/29589189.pdf [Accessed 22nd March 2021].

Hubbub Foundation (2020) Grab Your Cup [online]. Available:

https://www.hubbub.org.uk/grab-your-cup-jingle-huey-morgan [Accessed 23rd March
2021].

IGD (2017) Infographic: Trading with Sainsbury’s [online]. Available:

https://www.igd.com/articles/article-viewer/t/infographic-trading-with-sainsburys/i/16894
[Accessed 21st March 2021].

Lindwall, C. (2020) Single-Use Plastics 101 [online]. Available:

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/single-use-plastics-101 [Accessed 20th March 2021].

Loop UK (2021) How It Works [online]. Available: https://loopstore.co.uk/how-it-works

[Accessed 25th March 2021].

Manning, C. (2009) The Psychology of Sustainable Behaviour: Tips for empowering people to
take environmentally positive action, St Paul: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency [online].
Available: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/quick-links/psychology-sustainable-behavior
[Accessed 23rd March 2021].

Menjivar, S. (2021) COVID-19’s Impact on the Packaging Industry [online]. Available:

https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/resources/covid-19-impact-packaging-industry/
[Accessed 21st March 2021].

Plastics Europe (2020) Plastics – the Facts 2020: An analysis of European plastics production,
demand and waste data [online]. Available:
https://www.plasticseurope.org/en/resources/publications/4312-plastics-facts-2020
[Accessed 20th March 2021].

Reusable Packaging Association (2019) Sustainable packaging is now a $225 billion market
[online]. Available: https://www.reusables.org/sustainable-packaging-is-now-a-225-billion-
market/ [Accessed 21st March 2021].

13
Sainsbury’s (2021) Our Business Strategy [online]. Available:
https://www.about.sainsburys.co.uk/about-us/our-business-strategy [Accessed 21st March
2021].

Sainsbury’s (2020) Sainsbury’s announces trial of Ecover refill stations [online]. Available:
https://www.about.sainsburys.co.uk/news/latest-news/2020/27-02-2020-sainsburys-
announces-trial-of-ecover-refill-stations [Accessed 25th March 2021].

Saunders, N. (2013) ‘What is it about Sainsbury’s?’, New Statesman, 8th May [online].
Available: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/05/what-it-about-sainsburys
[Accessed 22nd March 2021].

Scottish Government (2021) Increase to carrier bag charge [online]. Available:

https://www.gov.scot/news/increase-to-carrier-bag-charge/ [Accessed 24th March 2021].

Smithers, R. (2018) ‘UK retailers see rise in sales of reusable coffee cups’, The Guardian, 11th
January [online]. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jan/11/uk-
retailers-see-rise-in-sales-of-reusable-coffee-cups [Accessed 21st March 2021].

Valentine, M. (2021) ‘Sainsbury’s drops ‘Live Well for Less’ as it shifts focus from price to
value’, Marketing Week, 25th February [online]. Available:
st
https://www.marketingweek.com/sainsburys-slogan/ [Accessed 21 March 2021].

Vizard, S. (2020) ‘Sainsbury’s wins shoppers from the discounters as it focuses on value’,
Marketing Week, 1st July [online]. Available: https://www.marketingweek.com/sainsburys-
winning-shoppers-discounters-focus-value/ [Accessed 21st March 2021].

White, K., Hardisty, D. J. & Habib, R. (2019) ‘The Elusive Green Consumer’, Harvard Business
Review, 97(4), pp.124-133.

Zero Waste Europe (2020) Reusable vs. Single-Use Packaging: A Review of Environmental
Impact [online]. Available: https://zerowasteeurope.eu/library/reusable-vs-single-use-
packaging-a-review-of-environmental-impact/ [Accessed 20th March 2021].

14