Tesco is trialling a scheme to allow its online customers to purchase products in refillable packaging, reducing disposable waste and increasing sustainability.

The Loop scheme, run by recycling firm TerraCycle, will allow UK consumers to purchase 150 goods, including drinks, shampoos, yoghurts, and sauces, in reusable packaging on the Loop website. Brands such as Heinz, Coca-Cola and Persil have already transformed, or are in the process of transforming, their products to entirely reusable packaging, which can be returned, cleaned and refilled through the Loop scheme.

Customers simply pay a fully refundable deposit fee on each piece of packaging, to be returned when emptied, and will also be delivered and picked-up by DPD.

Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis said: “Through our closed loop strategy of remove, reduce, re-use and recycle, Tesco has a clear ambition to reduce packaging.

“Our ground-breaking partnership with Loop has been designed to test a new way of helping customers use less plastic and explore the exciting potential of re-use.

“We will learn what works at scale as we develop plans with Loop to introduce reusable packaging into our business.”

TerraCycle founder and chief executive, Tom Szaky, said: “Tesco is the perfect partner to bring Loop to retail in the UK due to its commitment to sustainability, in combating plastics waste, and its operational scale as the UK’s biggest grocery retailer.”

The partnership between TerraCycle and Tesco will trial for a year in the UK, with plans for Loop to collaborate with other businesses including an undisclosed fast food chain.