Re-use, Re-fill, Re-imagine – Innovative solutions for small traders and family owned shops within South-AfricaCopy Link

Plastic is very valuable. It helps Unilever to get its products to consumers safely and efficiently. It’s often the lowest carbon footprint option compared to other materials, yet far too much plastic ends up in our environment. Global research has shown the flow of plastic into the ocean each year could triple by 2040. This must stop.

By 2025 Unilever will:
• Halve the amount of virgin plastic used in packaging and achieve an absolute reduction of more than 100,000 tonnes in plastic use.
• Help collect and process more plastic packaging than sold.
• Ensure that 100% of plastic packaging is designed to be fully reusable, recyclable or compostable.
• Increase the use of post-consumer recycled plastic material in packaging to at least 25%.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution and to bring about change different solutions need to be considered. This requires out of the box innovative thinking and new business models, especially for reaching the informal sector in South Africa, where the packaging of product currently centres on small sachets, with an associated high plastic content, but where the reduction of plastic waste is not a driver for the customer base.

This is where Unilever want your help. How can re-fill and re-use be applied in informal settings such as spaza shops and Dukas? Unilever are looking for innovative solutions to this challenge, from a business model to ideas for a specific product, using the refill and re-use approach.

• How do we develop new circular business models for reuse and refill and encourage sustainable consumption?
• How do we rethink the product as well as the packaging – for example, a big challenge was what to do with unrecyclable toothpaste tubes - by redesigning the product (toothpaste) from a paste to a solid tablet – the packaging could be completely changed!
• Think about the product. How it is consumed, when it is consumed, how often and for what purpose?

Think about the packaging and think about ways to redesign the entire consumer experience that supports refill and reuse. Key to this would be figuring out how to change consumers’ behaviours from a convenience culture (single-use items, pre-packaged foods, convenience meals, etc.) to a culture of responsible consumption and make the refill and reuse behaviour a desirable status symbol rather than a niche activity that only 'eco-warriors' would engage in.

Successful applicants will be given an opportunity to pitch to Unilever.

The package may also include:
• Support from Unilever
• Support from Innovate UK KTN (e.g. pitch training and mentoring)
• Support in the development of a prototype or pilot
• Technical support
• Invitation to attend or present at Innovate UK KTN events
• A potential business collaboration
• Investor introductions (if investment is required)
• Support if any innovation or similar competitions are relevant

The selected solution provider(s) will:
• Work with Unilever who will facilitate and support solution testing
• Receive GBP 25,000 seed funding to work on the specific challenge. Funding will be received in instalments, subject to specific Milestones (eg. project plan, mid-project report and final report)

Solutions need to be suitable for Informal trade, eg spaza and duka shops, small independent roadside kiosks in South Africa with limited power, limited data and connectivity.

Solutions need to have a minimal cost impact on the consumer.

Solutions are expected to be deployed within the next 1-2 year, but innovative solutions which might need a longer development phase will be considered.

Solutions need to be usable within South Africa under limited power, limited data and connectivity.

• Launch of the Competition: 8th December 2021
• Deadline for applications: 28th January 2022
• Selection and notification of finalists: 14th February 2022
• Date of Pitch day: w/c 7th March 2022

Dependent on the solution and the business case, ideally Unilever aims to partner with the solution provider on a pilot and then depending on the success of the pilot, seek to scale up and expand the model.

Unilever are looking for practical solutions that deliver value to the consumer while decreasing the packaging requirements of their products. Solutions that are app-based will be considered but those must be part of a broader, practical solution.

Entrants to this competition must be:
• Established businesses, start-ups, SMEs, individual entrepreneurs, or academics.
• Collaborative solutions (Business to Business B2B and B2R&D) are valid applications. If collaborative solutions are being tabled a single lead organisation needs to register the application. This organisation can be either an industrial or academic partner.
• Priority is given to solution providers based in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria. However, innovative solutions from other countries will be considered.

Applications will be assessed on:
• Relevance to the topic
• Innovative nature of the subject
• Coherence of the proposed business model
• Feasibility/ economic viability
• Development potential
• Maturity of project/solution
• Ability to launch project quickly/Ease of implementation
• A working model/prototype
• Price/quality ratio

• Existing background IP associated with a potential solution will remain with Solution Provider(s). Where any new IP generation is envisaged, it will be subject to the mutual IP agreement of the Solution Provider(s) and Unilever.
• Any commercial deployment of a transferred solution or newly developed solution, through licensing, joint venture, partnership or direct investment, will be subject to the commercial agreement between the Solution Provider(s) and Unilever.
• Where necessary, a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) may be signed to uphold confidentiality in the engagement between the Solution Provider(s) and Unilever. (This would be expected to be after company selection, it is suggested that details of IP be not disclosed, Focus on the outcomes of the technology proposed).

Innovate UK and Innovate UK KTN do not take any share of IP ownership or enter into commercial ventures through the iX programme.