Even most Japanese shoppers aren’t aware of this cool free service.

Mujirushi Ryohin, also known as Mujirushi for short, or Muji for even shorter, is a store that sells…well, just about everything. They’re best known for their affordable, high-quality furniture and clothing selections, but Mujirushi also offers a full range of housewares, travel goods, toiletries, and even food and drinks.

A particularly handy item to pick up at Mujirushi these days is one of their reusable water bottles. The models above are all reasonably priced, ranging from 190 to 990 yen (US$1.25 to US$6.40), and in a clever bit of marketing, they’re usually displayed next to an in-store water refill station. Since you can refill your Mujirushi water bottle for free, it’ll essentially pay for itself after a few uses, since it’s saving you the cost of having to buy regular bottled water from Mujirushi’s drink section.

But here’s something a lot of people aren’t aware of: free water refills aren’t a perk that Mujirushi offers to customers who’ve purchased one of the store’s water bottles. Free water is something that Mujirushi offers to everyone. As long as you’ve got a water bottle, you’re welcome to fill it up at Mujirushi’s refill station, regardless of where you purchased your container.

This is something that most shoppers in Japan aren’t aware of, but it’s actually been the case since 2020, when Mujirushi first started installing in-store water refill stations, under their goal of being kind to the environment by reducing plastic waste and to help customers stay healthily hydrated.

▼ Mujirushi’s water refill station announcement video

Many people assume, though, that the water refill stations are for use with Mujirushi-brand water bottles only. With a scorching heat wave bringing dangerously dehydrating conditions to Japan this summer, though, Mujirushi has put out a reminder through its official TikTok account, letting everyone know once and again that as long as you’ve got a bottle, there’s water waiting for you, with no charge, at the refill station.

@muji_jp

誰でも自由に使える、お店の給水機 無印良品の一部の店舗では、プラスチックごみ削減の一環として「給水サービス」を実施しています。 マイボトルを持参すれば、誰でも自由に店内の給水機を使用可能。 お店ではくり返し使える『自分で詰める水のボトル』を販売しているほか、手持ちの水筒やマグの利用もできます。 給水機の取り扱い店舗数は430店舗以上で、随時拡大中。 店内に給水機を導入し、マイボトルを持参される方が増え、環境や健康について考えるきっかけとなることを目指しています。 プラスチックごみ削減の一歩として、まずは1日1本でも空のペットボトルを減らすことから始めてみませんか。 ※一部、給水機の設置がない店舗もあります。水プロジェクト特集ページ内で確認してください #無印良品 #MUJI #水分補給 #給水機 #お水 #水筒 #マイボトル

♬ オリジナル楽曲 – MUJI無印良品 – MUJI無印良品

▼ Currently more than 430 Mujirushi branches in Japan have water refill stations, with a complete list here

The refill stations are easy to use, with multilingual signage walking you through the steps. Simply tap the button for chilled or room-temperature water, select how much water you want, and hit the button with a picture of a water drop to dispense it.

Oh, and if you want to pick up some of Mujirushi’s powdered tea packets for a few hundred yen and stir one into your free water refill, that’s OK too.

But if you’re fine with just water, Mujirushi is just fine with giving it to you for free.

Source: Muirushi Ryohin via IT Media
Top image ©SoraNews24
Insert images: Mujirushi Ryohin, YouTube/MUJI 無印良品, Mujirushi Ryohin (2)
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