I think a major hurdle is that beyond a certain income level, people don't want to be seen as stingy, and refilling/buying bulk is generally associated frugalit

I think a major hurdle is that beyond a certain income level, people don't want to be seen as stingy, and refilling/buying bulk is generally associated frugality more than altruism. In order to reach more people in developed countries you need to make things more upscale. You need high quality, long lasting, "designer" containers. Also, a trade-in program would help a great deal. Many people don't know they want something until they see it, and they hesitate to buy a new container on the spot if they already have one. If they can simply redeem their old ones for a large portion of credits it would put their minds at ease. The trade-in stations will need automated cleaning, since you can't guarantee their hygiene. In the end lazy folks will just swap in their dirty containers with clean ones every time they head for the shop, which also alleviates the mental hurdle of cleaning.