Henkel refill stations meet skeptical consumers

Dusseldorf Henkel wanted to be a pioneer in refill stations for detergents and cleaning agents. In autumn 2020, the Persil manufacturer launched the “Love Nature” brand. The idea: Customers bring their empty packaging to the store and refill it there with eco-cleaning agents. The group wanted to save plastic.

After two years, it becomes apparent that the self-filling systems are hardly ever used. At the end of 2021, the market shares were between 0.1 percent for detergents and one percent for bathroom cleaners. This is shown by figures from the market researcher Euromonitor International, which are available to the Handelsblatt. Henkel speaks of slightly higher numbers.

Either way: the Dax group is a long way from the goal of achieving a market share of five percent by 2025. Nevertheless, he wants to stick to it, it is said when asked. However, a spokeswoman concedes: “The number of those who consciously opt for more sustainability in the household is still comparatively small.”