Summary

Algramo addresses the issue of plastic waste by encouraging refill and reuse and eliminating plastic packaging. Algramo, which means ‘by the gram’ works with global consumer companies like Unilever and Nestle to make refill solutions more accessible. and feasible. (Source) The company provides refill stations that can be used to refill detergent products and also now has a home delivery service, and has even partnered with Walmart. The company started its pilot program in Santiago, Chile, but is now present in New York and Jakarta. (Source) The company uses RFID tags and IoT (Internet of Things) technology to deliver products to customers’ doorsteps on an electric tricycle stocked with refills. The dispensing stations are also able to recognize the RFID packaging and customers can manage their account with an app. The company’s dispensing systems serve brands such as Quix (washing up liquid), Omo (clothes washing liquid), Pinesol and Clorox (general cleaning). (Source) According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in 2020, over a quarter of a million packaging units were put out into the market through Algramo, all of which were 100% reusable. 

Story

When Founder José Manuel Moller moved to the outskirts of Santiago, he realized that lower-income consumers were often unable to buy in bulk, forcing them to buy smaller amounts for higher prices. He estimated that  30% of a product’s price is in the packaging, which makes bulk ordering more cost prohibitive for low-income consumers. In response to this problem, he set up vending machines dispensing household products in poor areas of the city, and Algramo was born. (Source)

Pic Credit: Treehugger