Why a Customer Question Sparked a Factory Visit
After I appeared on the Talking Rubbish podcast with James Piper and Robbie Staniforth, James received a message from listener Samantha Drury Shore. Sam is a dedicated Bower customer and sustainability champion from Devizes, Wiltshire.
Her question was simple and entirely fair:
“Do you really reuse your packaging, and how does it work?”
In a world where environmental claims can often be vague or exaggerated, we believe customers have every right to ask for proof. So instead of replying with a document or a quick explanation, we invited Sam and her colleagues from Sustainable Devizes to the Bower warehouse to see reuse in action for themselves.
Watch the video to see the highlights from the day:
What Happens to Your BowerPack™ When You Send It Back
1. Arrival and Sorting
When returned packaging arrives at our warehouse, each item is:
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logged and identified on our Digital Passport system
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Quality Assurance to check packs are undamaged and safe for reuse
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sorted by SKU / product line
2. Quality Testing and Inspection
Every refill pack is inspected by our team and digitally recorded. If it meets our durability and hygiene criteria, it is approved for reuse. Anything that cannot be reused is responsibly recycled with our specialist partner.
We also send randomised packs to our independent lab partner for microbiological testing to ensure the safety and stability of the product within the pack.
One of the key innovations of the BowerPack™ is a one-way valve in the spout of the pack, which ensures that once the customer has emptied the product into their BowerBottle at home, no air or potential contamination can get into the pack. This mitigates the need for us to wash the packaging between use cycles which is a major industry barrier to reuse (water, energy and cost intensive).
4. Recirculation and Refill
Finally, the approved packs re-enter the loop. They are refilled with the same SKU, the updated batch code is digitally recorded at the point of refill, then they are prepared to be sent out to the next customer.
This is the circular system in action: reducing waste, cutting carbon, and extending the life of every piece of packaging.
What the Sustainable Devizes Team Saw
Sam and her colleagues spent the morning with us, exploring the entire process first-hand. They saw:
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the sorting and tracking station
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our quality control procedures
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reused packs being refilled and scanned off the line
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data showing the carbon savings of reuse compared with new packaging
Their questions were thoughtful, challenging, and exactly what we hope for when people engage with our circular model. We filmed their visit (with their consent) so that others can see it too.
Why Transparency Matters in a Circular Economy
Sustainability is built on trust. If customers are going to adopt refill and reuse systems, they need to see that the loop is real and functioning.
Sam’s question was not inconvenient. It was essential, and it reflects the growing demand for genuine circular solutions in the UK.
Conclusion
Every returned bottle helps reduce waste, save carbon, and support a more circular future - to date we’ve eliminated over 14 million single use plastic bottles through our reuse system.
By sharing what happens behind the scenes, we hope to make reuse feel not just possible but powerful.