What this project is about
Single-use plastic packaging — especially sachets — is one of the most persistent sources of plastic pollution in Indonesia. These small, flexible packages are hard to collect, difficult to recycle and widely used for everyday essentials.
The PISCES Living Lab Reuse Pilot was created to test a simple but powerful question:
Can reusable, returnable packaging work in real community markets — not just in theory, but in practice?
Led through the PISCES Living Lab in Banyuwangi, the pilot introduced Indonesia’s first returnable and reusable packaging system for everyday dry food products in traditional retail settings (warungs). Rather than focusing on awareness alone, the project tested whether reuse could be affordable, convenient and acceptable for both sellers and consumers — and whether it could realistically displace single-use sachets.
What the project delivers
The pilot delivers real-world evidence, not just concepts:
- A working reuse system for rice, cooking oil, soy sauce and spices
- Practical insights into consumer behaviour, pricing and return incentives
- Evidence on merchant participation, trust and community uptake
- Data on sales, return rates and repeat customers
- A scalable Living Lab model for testing reuse solutions before wider rollout
The project demonstrates how reuse can be designed to work within existing market structures — rather than requiring communities to adapt to unrealistic models.
Where the work takes place — and why it matters
The pilot was based in Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, a region that reflects many of the challenges facing Indonesia as a whole:
- Rapid growth in plastic consumption
- Limited waste management coverage
- Strong reliance on sachets for affordability and convenience
- Vibrant community networks and traditional retail systems
Banyuwangi is also home to Indonesia’s first PISCES Living Lab, making it an ideal place to test solutions that integrate upstream prevention with downstream waste system development.
By working in warungs and community-connected stores — not supermarkets alone — the pilot focuses on the everyday realities where plastic pollution begins.
How the pilot works
The reuse system is built around returnable containers and a simple cashback mechanism:
- Consumers purchase products in reusable packaging
- Containers are returned to participating stores
- Packaging is collected, cleaned and refilled through the Living Lab
- Consumers receive a financial incentive on their next purchase
The system was deliberately designed to be:
- Low-tech
- Affordable
- Compatible with existing shopping habits
This allowed the team to test what actually drives behaviour change, rather than assuming environmental concern alone is enough.
What we learned
The pilot generated several critical insights:
- Price and convenience matter most — environmental motivation helps, but does not drive behaviour on its own
- Community-connected stores perform better than anonymous retail
- Repeat customers are essential for reuse systems to function
- Packaging design and size strongly influence uptake and returns
- Organic, relationship-based engagement builds trust faster than mass marketing
These lessons are now shaping the next phase of reuse design and scaling
Who is involved
The pilot is a collaboration between research, delivery partners and local communities:
- PISCES Partnership – systems research, Living Lab coordination and monitoring
- Enviu Indonesia – reuse system design and implementation
- Local merchants and warungs – frontline delivery and testing
- Community groups (including PKK) – outreach and trust-building
- Indonesian universities and researchers – economic and behavioural evaluation
This cross-sector collaboration is central to why the pilot works – and why it can scale.
Why this project matters
If reuse is to meaningfully reduce plastic pollution, it must work where plastic is used most – in everyday purchasing, by ordinary households.
This pilot shows that:
- Reuse can compete with sachets when designed properly
- Living Labs can de-risk innovation before national rollout
- Evidence-led pilots can inform policy, investment and market design
The reuse pilot is now a cornerstone of PISCES Relay forward plans, helping translate research into scalable, practical action.
Reports and evidence
📄 PISCES Initial Reuse Pilot – Final Report (June 2024)
A full summary of the pilot design, sales data, consumer behaviour, logistics and lessons learned.
📄 Economic and Behavioural Evaluation (AIT / PISCES)
to follow
Images & endorsements (recommended section)
Suggested content to include here:
- Photos of warungs, merchants and reusable products
- Images from the Living Lab
- Quotes from participating sellers
- Partner logos (Enviu, local institutions, PISCES Relay)
Example quote:
“Once there’s a new program, we’re happy to resell again. Thanks for the trust.”
— Participating merchant, Banyuwangi
What’s next
The next phase plans to focus on:
- Expanding to additional villages
- Expanding product range
- Improving packaging design and return rates
- Integrating reuse with local waste infrastructure
- Scaling through the PISCES Relay Living Lab network