Tesco selling food in reusable packaging – will Loop cost more?

Instead of buying products in normal packaging, Tesco is selling a range of food, drink, household and beauty products in reusable, returnable and durable packaging. Does it work out more expensive?

As a way to cut down on single use packaging, Tesco is offering a new way to shop in a number of large Tesco stores.

You will be able to buy products in reusable packaging that you return to the store when done for it to be cleaned, refilled and used again.

There are 88 products available with Tesco Loop including big brand names like Tetley, Persil and Brew Dog.

They have also added 25 of their own brand essential items such as pasta, rice, oil and sugar, so you’re not having to buy more expensive products.

Unlike fill your own style shopping, where you bring a pot and scoop an amount you want, with Loop all the products are sold sealed with set amounts.

Then, when you’ve finished with it, the packaging itself is cleaned and reused by the same companies to get groceries back onto the shelves.

Tesco has said that prices for the contents of each item are comparable to the original.

However, you need to pay a refundable deposit when buying Loop packaged products.

The deposit starts from 20p and you get a refund via an app after you’ve returned the packaging to store.

Tesco has calculated that if customers in the stores using Loop switch three items in their weekly food shop, the packaging would be used and reused more than two and a half million times a year.

How Loop works in store

1. Visit the Loop fixture of the store and choose which prefilled products in reusable Loop containers you want to buy. Where there is an identical product in plastic packaging, prices for the contents of each item are comparable to usual products.
2. At the end of your shop, the Loop items are put through the till with other shopping and a small deposit is paid for each piece of reusable packaging.
3. Once home the products are consumed.
4. You download the ‘Loop deposit’ app and register your details.
5. When you do your next shop, you bring back the empty containers.
6. At the store, you collect a QR sticker from the Loop return point and sticks it on to the container. Then scan it using the Loop app on your phone.
7. The empty containers are then placed in the Loop return point.
8. Loop will collect the container and refund the deposit back to you via the app in 3-6 days.
9. You will also have the option of buying a Loop bag (again with a refundable deposit) with a QR code on it to make returning large numbers of containers easier and quicker.

Once you’ve returned the packaging it gets cleaned and ready to be refilled and rebought.

What products can I buy?

There is a wide range of everyday foodstuffs you likely already get in your weekly shop.

You can pick up Tesco own brand foods as well as a range of branded food, drinks, household items and toiletries.

You’ll be able to choose from Alberto Balsam, Bisto, BrewDog, Bulldog Skincare, Carex, Coca-Cola, Dr Will’s, Ecover, Fever-Tree, Finish, Good4U, Hardys, Mackays, Heinz, Meridian, Mud House, Naked Noodle, Original Source, Persil, Quaker Oats, Radox, Simple, Sipsmith and Tetley.

The packaging will be labelled, so you can clearly see what you’re buying.

Tesco Loop prices – is it cheaper?

When buying an item, you need to take into account the price and the upfront deposit you need to pay.

The deposit will be refunded a few days after you return the empty packaging.

I’ve done a bit of spot-checking on prices, picking a few items at random.

If you buy Bisto in the typical packaging, it’ll cost you £2.50 – the same as Loop.

Although, a bottle of Coca Cola is £1.59 for 1.5 L from their groceries online, which is less than the Loop equivalent at £1.95 (for 1 litre), meaning you’d pay more.

Tesco Sunflower Oil 500ml would cost £1.09 for a whole litre, but half the amount from Loop is 80p

Some items being sold via Loop are also different package sizes for what you right normally see on the supermarket shelf. Not sure if this is a similar price/package creep like in Poundland, or if it’s down to the generic size of the packaging?

What you might also miss out on is special offers and price changes (like the discount you get with Clubcard Prices). We’re not sure at this time if Loop packaged products will ever be offered at a lower price as part of a promotion.

How do you think the prices compare with shopping for products in their usual packaging?

Product description	Price	Deposit
Alberto Balsam Naturals Coconut Conditioner 500ml	£1.35	£2.00
Alberto Balsam Naturals Coconut Shampoo 500ml	£1.35	£2.00
Bisto Best Beef Gravy 250g	£2.50	£0.20
Bisto Best Chicken Gravy 250g	£2.50	£0.20
Brewdog Lost Lager 1 Litre Bottle	£3.75	£1.00
Brewdog Punk IPA 1 Litre Bottle	£5.50	£1.00
Bulldog Age-Defence Moisturiser 100ml	£8.00	£2.00
Bulldog Energising Moisturiser 100ml	£8.00	£2.00
Bulldog Oil Control Moisturiser 100ml	£6.00	£2.00
Bulldog Original Moisturiser 100ml	£6.00	£2.00
Bulldog Sensitive Moisturiser 100ml	£6.00	£2.00
Carex Advanced Protect+ Marine Minerals Antibacterial Hand Wash 500ml	£2.70	£2.00
Coca Cola Original Taste 1l	£1.95	£0.20
Coca Cola Zero Sugar 1l	£1.75	£0.20
Dr. Will’s Beetroot Ketchup 250g	£2.30	£0.50
Dr. Will’s Miso Tahini Dressing 250g	£2.30	£0.50
Dr. Will’s Sriracha Hot Sauce 250g	£2.30	£0.50
Dr. Will’s Tomato Ketchup 250g	£2.30	£0.50
Dr. Will’s Vegan Caesar Dressing 250g	£2.30	£0.50
Dr. Will’s Vegan Mayo Sugar Free 240g	£2.30	£0.50
Ecover Washing Up Liquid Lemon & Aloe 480ml	£1.70	£2.00
Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water 750ml	£2.93	£0.20
Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water 750ml	£2.93	£0.20
Finish Powerball Quantum Ultimate Lemon Dishwasher Tablets X40 500g	£7.25	£5.00
Good4U Breakfast Boost Protein Milled Seed 240g	£3.25	£0.50
Good4U Salad Topper Garlic & Chilli 225g	£3.25	£0.50
Good4U Salad Topper Super Seeds 250g	£3.25	£0.50
Hardys Crest Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 750ml Loop	£7.00	£0.50
Heinz Tomato Ketchup 342g	£1.45	£0.50
Mackays Caramelised Red Onion Marmalade With Chilli 225g	£1.30	£0.50
Mackays Chilli Jam 235g	£1.30	£0.50
Mackays Lemon Curd 340g	£2.00	£0.50
Mackays Scottish Raspberry Preserve 340g	£1.65	£0.50
Mackays Scottish Strawberry Preserve 340g	£1.65	£0.50
Mackays Seville Orange Marmalade 340g	£1.45	£0.50
Mackays Sun Dried Tomato & Smoked Chilli Chutney 225g	£1.30	£0.50
Mackays Vintage Dundee Orange Marmalade 340g	£1.45	£0.50
Meridian Crunchy Peanut Butter 100% Nuts 470g	£3.30	£0.50
Meridian Smooth Peanut Butter 100% Nuts 470g	£3.30	£0.50
Mud House Sauvignon Blanc 750ml Loop	£9.00	£0.50
Naked Noodle Japanese Style Teriyaki Egg Noodles 78g	£0.75	£1.00
Naked Noodle Thai Style Sweet Chili Egg Noodles 78g	£0.75	£1.00
Original Source Tingly Mint & Tea Tree Shower Gel 500ml	£2.00	£2.00
Persil Non Bio Liquid Detergent 45 Wash Prefill 1215ml	£5.50	£3.00
Quaker Traditional Rolled Oats Porridge Cannister 400g	£0.70	£3.00

More prices

Product description	Price	Deposit
Radox Naturals Chamomile Shower Cream 500ml	£1.75	£2.00
Radox Naturals Eucalyptus Shower Gel 500ml	£1.75	£2.00
Radox Naturals Lemongrass Shower Gel 500ml	£1.75	£2.00
Return Refill Repeat Pump For Life	£1.00	£0.00
Silver Spoon Caster Sugar 500g	£0.80	£2.50
Silver Spoon Granulated Sugar 500g	£0.32	£2.50
Simple Naturals Fragrance Free Liquid Hand Wash 500ml	£1.75	£2.00
Sipsmith London Dry Gin 70cl	£28.50	£1.00
Tesco Arborio Risotto Rice 600g	£1.25	£2.50
Tesco Basmati Rice 1kg	£1.60	£3.00
Tesco Bombay Mix 250g	£1.25	£2.50
Tesco Cashew Nuts 450g	£5.20	£2.00
Tesco Chopped Apricots 500g	£3.60	£2.50
Tesco Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil 500ml	£3.00	£0.50
Tesco Conchiglie Pasta 425g	£0.45	£3.00
Tesco Demerara Sugar 500g	£1.20	£2.50
Tesco Dolly Mixtures 350g	£1.65	£2.00
Tesco Finest Scottish Porridge Oats 500g	£1.10	£3.00
Tesco Fruit & Nut Muesli 550g	£1.47	£3.00
Tesco Fusilli Pasta 450g	£0.48	£3.00
Tesco Honey Roasted Cashews 250g	£3.33	£2.00
Tesco Jelly Babies 350g	£1.05	£2.00
Tesco Jumbo Roasted Salted Cashews 250g	£3.32	£2.50
Tesco Liquorice Allsorts 350g	£1.05	£2.00
Tesco Long Grain Rice 1kg	£1.20	£3.00
Tesco Milk Chocolate Peanuts 350g	£1.31	£2.00
Tesco Milk Chocolate Raisins 350g	£1.31	£2.00
Tesco Mini Gems 350g	£1.31	£2.00
Tesco No Added Sugar Or Salt Swiss Style Muesli 450g	£0.99	£3.00
Tesco Olive Oil 500ml	£2.40	£0.50
Tesco Penne Pasta 500g	£0.53	£3.00
Tesco Plain Flour 750g	£0.48	£3.00
Tesco Red Split Lentils 600g	£1.35	£2.50
Tesco Roasted Salted Pistachios 350g	£4.00	£2.50
Tesco Sea Salt & Black Pepper Roasted Cashew Nuts 250g	£3.33	£2.00
Tesco Seedless Raisins 450g	£1.62	£2.50
Tesco Self Raising Flour 750g	£0.55	£3.00
Tesco Sultanas 450g	£2.15	£2.50
Tesco Sunflower Oil 500ml	£0.80	£0.50
Tesco Super Berry Granola 500g	£1.70	£3.00
Tesco Sweet Chilli Crispy Coated Peanuts 400g	£2.40	£2.50
Tesco Unsalted Mixed Nuts & Raisins 500g	£2.00	£2.50
Tesco Walnut Pieces 300g	£4.10	£2.50
Tetley Original 80 Tea Bags 250g	£2.00	£1.00

Which Tesco stores will have Loop?

Launching from 13th September, the following 10 stores will have Loop and recycling available:

1. Milton Keynes Kingston
2. Northampton South
3. Cambridge Newmarket Road
4. Wellingborough
5. Milton Keynes Wolverton
6. Evesham
7. Leicester Hamilton
8. Stratford Upon Avon
9. Ashby De La Zouch
10. Loughborough Rushes

As it’s a very new process, there will be Loop Ambassadors in the stores to explain fully how Lopp works.

Read next:

Supermarket offers, deals and bargains this week at Aldi, Asda, Iceland, Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and more