Boots have launched a new campaign which is recycling thousands of empty beauty and health products’ packaging. The UK’s leading health and beauty company partnered with No7 back in September to create this new scheme, which is available in 50 Boots stores across the UK. The scheme allows customers to return their empty health, wellness, and beauty products to the store. They will even take products that are not stocked in boots. Not only does this help reduce packaging waste being thrown away and sent to the landfill, but the scheme rewards customers too. For every five items a customer returns, they are given £5 of credit to spend in any Boots shop. In under two months, Boots has recycled over a tonne of plastic. There have been over 30,000 customers signed up to the scheme, who have collectively recycled around 100,000 products. Toothpaste, Handwash, and Mascara, were the top empty products to be returned to the boots store. No7, Boots, and Colgate were the most common brands to be returned.

How does it work?

To bring this scheme into effect, Boots have used the Scan2Recycle technology. You scan your empty products on your mobile device. Then, you return your products to participating stores and place them in the provided bins. There is a QR code on the bins which you also scan with your mobile. Once reaching five products (or more), you can use your points in any Boots store across the UK. This innovative idea is a great way to encourage the UK population to recycle more. Having big brand names promote these initiatives is a promising first step.