May 21, 2019   SOURCE: PR NewsWire

Loop Launches In U.S. And Announces Kroger And Walgreens As Founding Retailers

NEW YORK, May 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Loop(TM), a state-of-the-art circular shopping system, officially launched the pilot program in the Mid-Atlantic region of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington, D.C., as well as announced The Kroger Co. and Walgreens, respectively the country's largest grocery retailer and one of the largest pharmacy chains, as the founding retailers in the United States.

First announced at the World Economic Forum in January, Loop enables consumers to responsibly consume a variety of commonly used products from leading consumer brands in customized, brand-specific durable packaging that is delivered in a specially-designed reusable shipping tote. When finished with the product, the packaging is collected, cleaned, refilled and reused - creating a revolutionary circular shopping system.

"Kroger's commitment to embrace innovation on our path to Zero Hunger | Zero Waste aligns perfectly with Loop's mission to create a convenient circular packaging solution for consumers," said Jessica Adelman, Kroger's group vice president of corporate affairs. "We believe in giving our customers sustainable packaging choices they can feel good about. As the exclusive grocery retail partner for Loop in the United States, Kroger is taking another big step toward a world with zero waste."

Consumers in the pilot region who want to sign up for Loop are encouraged to visit www.loopstore.com and apply to become a participant or log on to www.thekrogerco.com/loop or www.walgreens.com/loop. In the future, the partners aim to enable more consumers to purchase Loop products online and in stores in select Kroger and Walgreens markets.

"Walgreens is excited about this opportunity to help consumers purchase sustainably packaged products and contribute to a healthier planet," said Lauren Brindley, Walgreens group vice president of beauty and personal care. "Innovative collaborations with partners like Loop are critical to solving the complex issue of reducing single-use plastics. Our customers look to us to innovate so that together we can reduce waste and increase re-use."

Consumer product companies on Loop in May and onwards:



            - Procter & Gamble: Pantene, Tide, Febreze,    
            - The Clorox Company: Clorox(R) Disinfecting
    Cascade, Venus, Gillette, Oral-B CLIC                   Wipes, Hidden Valley(R) Original Ranch
    toothbrush, Crest                                       Topping and Dressing, Glad(R) Food Protection



            - Unilever: REN Clean Skincare, Love Beauty    
            - The Body Shop - Tea Tree Oil
    and Planet, Love Home and Planet, Hellmann's,           - Colgate-Palmolive
    Seventh Generation, Pure Leaf, and minim(TM), a         - Greenhouse: Kombucha
    new deodorant format joined by Degree, Dove,            - Preserve: Everyday Tableware and Cutlery
    and AXE                                                 - Teva Deli: Sweet Potato Burger & Classic



            - Nestlé: Häagen-Dazs, Purina Tidy Cats,       
             Burger



            Chameleon Cold-Brew                            
            - Nature's Path: Organic Pumpkin Flax Granola



            - PepsiCo: Tropicana                           
            - Burlap & Barrel: Spices


                                                            
            - RB: Move Free, MegaRed, Neuriva, Airborne


                                                            
            - Reinberger Nut Butter





            - Soapply: Hand wash                           
            
              - SC Johnson: Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day hand



            - Melanin Essentials: Organic Curly Hair       
            soap
    Products                                                - The Honest Company



            - International Harvest: Premium Organic Dried 
            - WellPet: Old Mother Hubbard All-Natural Dog
    fruits, nuts, snacks and superfoods                     Treats



            - Purely Elizabeth: Nutrient rich granolas,    
            - Bilal's EasyKale: Bioactive Concentrated Kale
    oatmeals and bars


                                                            
            - Arbor Teas: Organic loose leaf tea


                                                            
            - ECOS (Earth Friendly Products)

The World Economic Forum is building a collaboration hub to help stakeholders accelerate and scale innovative reuse efforts like Loop that are focused on addressing disposable waste. "Loop is opening up an exciting innovation space by pioneering a fundamental rethink of the way we consume, produce and distribute," says Zara Ingilizian, Head of the Future of Consumption at the World Economic Forum.

"Loop was designed from the ground-up to reinvent the way we consume by leveraging the sustainable, circular milkman model of yesterday with the convenience of e-commerce," said Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of Loop and TerraCycle. "TerraCycle came together with dozens of major consumer product companies from P&G to Nestle to Unilever, the World Economic Forum Future of Consumption Platform, logistics and transportation company UPS and leading retailers Kroger and Walgreens to create a simple and convenient way to enjoy a wide range of products, customized in brand-specific durable and reusable packaging."

In addition to the launch of the platform, Loop also unveiled a real estate partnership with Brookfield Properties to offer the shopping platform first in New York as an amenity to employees at Brookfield Place (BFPL) in Lower Manhattan and then residents at One Blue Slip at Greenpoint Landing in Brooklyn.

How Loop works:
Consumers will go to www.loopstore.com, www.thekrogerco.com/loop or www.walgreens.com/loop to place an order. They will receive their durable products in Loop's exclusively designed shipping tote. After use, consumers place the empty containers into their Loop totes and go online to schedule a pickup from their home. Loop will clean the packaging with cutting-edge technology so that each product may be safely reused and will promptly replenish products as needed to the consumer.

To learn more about Loop, visit www.loopstore.com

About Loop
Loop is an initiative from TerraCycle, www.terracycle.com, an innovative waste management company whose mission is to Eliminate the Idea of Waste®. Operating nationally across 21 countries, TerraCycle partners with leading consumer product companies, retailers, cities, and facilities to recycle hard to recycle waste. Loop has been designed to addresses the issue of waste at its source by providing consumers a circular shopping platform while encouraging manufacturers to own and take responsibility for their packaging on the long term.

About Kroger
At the Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit(TM). We are nearly half a million associates who serve over nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,764 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

About Walgreens
Walgreens (walgreens.com), one of the nation's largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. Approximately 8 million customers interact with Walgreens in stores and online each day, using the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice. As of August 31, 2018, Walgreens operates 9,560 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with its omnichannel business, Walgreens.com. Approximately 400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.

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SOURCE Loop US LLC