INTERSPAR has become the first major food retailer in Austria to offer filling stations for unpackaged and loose organic food products. A large selection of these products is part of the SPAR Natur*pur range, the largest organic brand in Austria. Products sourced from local suppliers complement the range.
At the filling stations, shoppers use either a free INTERSPAR paper bag or a container they bring to the store or purchase instore. The filling station is currently being tested at the INTERSPAR Hypermarket Salzburg-EUROPARK.
INTERSPAR says its filling station – developed in partnership with HL Display – differs from traditional systems as the bins are filled from the top but emptied from the bottom. It says this ‘first in- first out’ system ensures an optimal shelf life of the food products.
“For the sake of the climate and the environment, INTERSPAR is constantly tackling unnecessary plastic packaging”, explains managing director INTERSPAR Austria, Markus Kaser. “I am pleased that we are the first large food retailer in Austria to be able to offer a filling station for unpacked organic food, in addition to the test operation of the filling stations for certified organic laundry and dishwashing detergents”, he continues.
In January, INTERSPAR started to trial filling stations for bio-certified laundry and dishwashing detergents in selected INTERSPAR Hypermarkets in Salzburg and Vienna. The filling stations are continuously adapted and improved according to customer needs.
SPAR Austria says plastic reduction is high on its sustainability agenda. Own brand health and beauty products, including Splendid and BEAUTY KISS, are free of solid microplastic particles.
Already over 40% percent of the fruit and vegetable range at SPAR and INTERSPAR stores in Austria is unpacked.
Main image: ©INTERSPAR/Eva Trifft