Zero-waste subscriptions for household essentials

Customers can restock on personal care products, pantry items, and local goods and return empty containers directly to the company

Spotted: We love buying stuff online, but there’s a huge environmental cost. According to Statista, the global e-commerce industry used around 2.1 billion pounds of plastic for packaging in 2019, and this figure is likely to reach 4.5 billion pounds by 2025. The Rounds, a US-based company, has developed a circular economy solution to this critical issue. 

The business engages in reverse logistics, delivering goods and picking up empty packaging and containers. It also provides a refillable service that allows customers to keep their kitchen and bathroom cupboards fully stocked, without collecting mountains of discarded packets and boxes. 

Customers pay a monthly subscription fee, and The Rounds delivers all the essentials on a weekly basis, although users can easily pause and edit the items they need, including pantry staples, meat and eggs, personal care and pet supplies, wine, and cleaning products. The items arrive in sustainable reusable tote bags and refillable containers. Customers then leave their used and emptied containers on their doorstep on refill day, and The Rounds will collect and sanitise the packaging for reuse. 

The Rounds currently operates in Philadelphia, Washington DC, Miami, Atlanta, and Fort Lauderdale in Florida where it also offers local produce from nearby bakers, butchers, winemakers, and more.

Springwise has spotted other refillable services looking to reduce our excessive consumption of packaging, including deliveries of medicine and toothpaste.

Written By: Amanda Simms