An estimation of the effectiveness of waste prevention by using point-of-sales (POS) data—The case of refills for shampoo and hair conditioner in Japan

Estimating the effectiveness of waste prevention measures in place is one approach to promote waste prevention and reduce resource use. We estimated the amount of waste reduction induced by the use of refills for shampoo and hair conditioner in Japan using point-of-sales (POS) data collected by retailers. The amount of waste reduction estimated was about 276 in fiscal year 2000, and increased to about 54% in fiscal year 2008, contributing to a waste reduction of 14,700 tonnes in that year. The POS data indicated that the unit prices of refillable products were lower than those of non-refillable products, which would be the main reason for the successful proliferation of refill products. The applicability of using the POS data to estimate the amount of waste prevention for refill and other products was also examined. In cases where detailed product data exist and there is relatively a simple product substitution, the applicability of this methodology would be higher.