Colgate-Palmolive has set its sights on reducing plastic waste with the launch of the Softsoap liquid hand soap brand in tablet form and a refillable, recyclable aluminum bottle.
See related: Demand for Hand Soap Set to Soar from COVID-19
This is the first refill option in tablet form offered by a major brand in the United States, the company reports. The user simply fills the recyclable aluminum bottle with water, drops in a tablet, and waits for it to fizz up and turn into foaming hand soap.
According to the company, the Softsoap Foaming Tablet Starter Kit uses 71% less plastic than a traditional foaming plastic soap bottle. So, by using the Softsoap Foaming Tablets Refill Kits, consumers are ultimately using 92% less plastic than traditional hand soap refills.
In 2020 alone, more than 455 million plastic liquid hand soap pump bottles were sold, the company notes. If every person who bought a plastic hand soap pump bottle in 2020 switched to products such as the Softsoap tablet kits, it would save more than 150 million plastic pump bottles of soap from entering landfills.
See related: Zero-waste Waterless Shampoo Bar Formula
The product features biodegradable cleansing ingredients in an easy-to-use tablet-form to encourage reuse and refill as an alternative to buying new plastic bottles. The new format also is reported to maintain the attributes the brand is known for, lathering into a rich foam.
The tablets are available in scents including Sparkling Lavender, Lemon Fizz and Fresh Coconut. This launch aligns with Colgate-Palmolive's Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy, which aims to eliminate one-third of new plastics as part of its transition to 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable plastic packaging by 2025. As part of this strategy, the Softsoap brand plans to move all pump bottles to 100% post-consumer recycled packaging by the end of 2022.
"As a brand found in 53 million North American households, Softsoap wants to make sustainability a household habit," said Emily Fong Mitchell, General Manager, North America Personal Care, Colgate-Palmolive. "The launch of Softsoap Foaming Tablets is a big step as we work to build a more sustainable, healthier future for all. Given our reach, we understand the impact of this step on the entire industry. We're excited to be leading this change as the first major CPG brand to offer a refill option in tablet form."
Ingredients: Citric Acid, Sodium Carbonate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Acetate, Fragrance, Yellow 10, Red 33.
