Waitrose becomes first UK supermarket to offer refillable olive oil

Founded in 2020, the brand champions small-scale female farmers who prioritise soil health and biodiversity in their olive groves and offers consumers a refill option to cut down their carbon footprint.

The single estate olive oil was especially selected for Waitrose and produced on a 14 hectare olive grove in Kalentzi, Greece.

Customers will be able to buy glass bottles of the oil and can then refill it with pouches, which have a carbon footprint that is fifteen times lower than glass bottles.

Once customers have washed and dried the empty pouches, they can be taken to a soft plastic drop-off point at one of 295 Waitrose stores or sent back to Citizens of Soil via post.

“Citizens of Soil is a brilliant concept. They’re taking quality olive oil to a new level, and supporting small growers, while offering a more sustainable packaging option,” Waitrose oil buyer, Tom Shiel said.

Citizens of Soil co-founder, Sarah Vachon added: “The opportunity to bring our award winning, single estate extra virgin olive oil from Marianna’s groves in the Peloponnese to Waitrose shelves in the UK is extremely exciting.

“We’re here to champion producers like Marianna and support all the hard work the Manginas family did to farm their groves in a regenerative way working in harmony with nature and creating an end-product that’s flavourful and nutritious.”

Grocery Gazette