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vrac liquide

English translation: liquid refills / liquid refill container

09:16 May 2, 2022
French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Food & Drink / no waste solutions
French term or phrase: vrac liquide
I am translating a text about a company that offer solutions for selling "vrac liquide". From what I understand this is liquid (which can be fruit juice, washing up liquid etc) in a large plastic bag with a dispenser which the customer then dispenses into their own container, similarly to loose cereals, grains etc. I cannot find an equivalent term for "vrac liquide" in English.
Josephine Irving
Portugal
Local time: 18:23
English translation:liquid refills / liquid refill container
Explanation:
It depends on whether your text is intended for B2B (business) or B2C (end users).

If this is more geared towards people like you or me visiting a zero-waste grocery store, then I feel 'liquid refills' sounds nicer.
https://www.ecotopiaonline.co.uk/liquid-refills
https://www.earthianzerowasteshop.co.uk/post/liquid-refills

Otherwise, you can always go with 'liquid refill container' or box:
https://www.ecoverdirect.com/products/washing-up-liquid---15...

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Note added at 1 hr (2022-05-02 10:40:07 GMT)
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Hi Josephine,
In that case, you can either go for my option (liquid refill container), 'liquid dispenser' or 'liquid dispensing solutions'.

You may find this link useful too about different kinds of refill stations:
https://www.martekzerowaste.co.uk/

Of course, David's 'liquid in bulk' also works. ;)
Selected response from:

Séverine Watson
France
Local time: 19:23
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5liquid refills / liquid refill container
Séverine Watson
5 +3liquid in bulk
David Clare
4bulk liquid
MassimoA
3"Bring Your Own Bottle"
Daryo
Summary of reference entries provided
vrac >> refills, not wholesale
Steve Robbie

Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
liquid in bulk


Explanation:
You are quite correct that this often means a container (or bag in box) with a dispenser tap. However, I am sure the above is the closest English equivalent

David Clare
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:23
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M: Yes... and quite possibly, from the context given, maybe even 'liquids in bulk'
6 hrs
agree  ph-b (X)
7 hrs
agree  Daryo
7 hrs
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
liquid refills / liquid refill container


Explanation:
It depends on whether your text is intended for B2B (business) or B2C (end users).

If this is more geared towards people like you or me visiting a zero-waste grocery store, then I feel 'liquid refills' sounds nicer.
https://www.ecotopiaonline.co.uk/liquid-refills
https://www.earthianzerowasteshop.co.uk/post/liquid-refills

Otherwise, you can always go with 'liquid refill container' or box:
https://www.ecoverdirect.com/products/washing-up-liquid---15...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2022-05-02 10:40:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hi Josephine,
In that case, you can either go for my option (liquid refill container), 'liquid dispenser' or 'liquid dispensing solutions'.

You may find this link useful too about different kinds of refill stations:
https://www.martekzerowaste.co.uk/

Of course, David's 'liquid in bulk' also works. ;)

Séverine Watson
France
Local time: 19:23
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Hi Séverine, thank you for your reply. It is B2B text targeting shop owners who may wish to invest in their solutions in order to sell "liquides en vrac".


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway: It is always helpful to see references that back an answer
48 mins
  -> Thanks! Yes, I find links always help the asker to make the right choice.
agree  Anastasia Kalantzi: justement, c'est comme par exemple, thé en vrac, thé en feuilles, comme il y a en Grèce et ailleurs aussi du vin ou de ouzo (tsipouro) en vrac.
4 hrs
agree  Steve Robbie: Yes, refills! Bulk products for instore refill stations. Based on previous experience, I think you'll need to translate freely but make sure that "bulk" and "refill" both appear at various points in the text.
5 hrs
agree  Samuël Buysschaert: Also agree with the comment by Steve R.
6 hrs
neutral  Tony M: This risks over-translation — we don't know for sure that any specific 'refilling' is going on here, it probably need to be kept general unless there is more context to confirm the exact nature of these sales.
6 hrs
neutral  ph-b (X): If I were to translate "refill" into French, I would use recharge. Just checked my cupboards :-) Vrac really is about "bulk" - whatever its ultimate use.
7 hrs
agree  Nicole Acher: Yes, I think it's clear from Josephine's comments that this is intended for refills, from the large plastic bag with a dispenser into one's own container.
13 hrs
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1 day 5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
bulk liquid


Explanation:
For me this is the correct translation. The sense is of liquid sold by quantity.

MassimoA
Italy
Local time: 19:23
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Daryo: Being sold in bulk to the retailer is secondary, the defining characteristic of this term is what happens when this liquid is sold to final customers from this "bulk container" - they have to bring their own bottles.
6 days
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"Bring Your Own Bottle"


Explanation:
"Bring Your Own (empty) Bottle" of course, not to be confused with "Bring Your Own Booze"

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Note added at 4 days (2022-05-06 17:30:21 GMT)
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this may sound like a pun for the sake of making a pun BUT in fact I'm dead serious: if the purpose of this is marketing, then something catchy like this would make more sense.

Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:23
Native speaker of: Native in SerbianSerbian, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4
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Reference comments


7 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: vrac >> refills, not wholesale

Reference information:
Note that "vrac" is routinely used to describe the purchase by consumers<i/> of refills at in-store refill stations. Obviously it can also encompass the sale of bulk products to stores in order to stock refill stations - but in the context of this type of retail, that's not it's primary meaning.

POURQUOI ACHETER LA LESSIVE EN VRAC?
Lorsque l’on est sensible à l’environnement, acheter bio n’est plus suffisant. Il est aussi nécessaire de prendre en compte l’emballage de votre lessive et réduire le volume de déchets plastiques. Acheter sa lessive en vrac est la solution que propose Etamine du lys.

1 FRANÇAIS SUR 3 ACHÈTE EN VRAC
A en croire l’étude réalisée par Nielsen en décembre 2018, 37% des français déclarent acheter des produits en vrac. [...]

Vous ne savez-pas ou trouver un point de vente en vrac Etamine du lys? Cliquez sur le lien suivant [...]
https://www.etaminedulys.fr/nos-valeurs/pourquoi-acheter-la-...

Alors que la vente en vrac est en plein boom dans les magasins bio, les hypers et supermarchés, notamment pour les lessives et autres détergents, l’Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire (Anses) vient de jeter un pavé dans la mare.
https://www.quechoisir.org/actualite-vente-en-vrac-a-eviter-...

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Note added at 7 hrs (2022-05-02 16:46:39 GMT)
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The point is, it doesn't make any sense to refer to this kind of purchasing as "bulk" buying in English. We call it buying refills.

Steve Robbie
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
neutral  Tony M: Over-interpretation, based on large extrapolation from one type of example.
2 hrs
  -> It matches the context provided. And if this is the context, it would be wrong (not cautious) to translate "vrac" literally.
agree  writeaway
6 hrs
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