OUR REFILL & RECYCLING SCHEMES

WE’RE IN A GLOBAL PLASTIC CRISIS. THIS IS WHAT WE’RE DOING ABOUT IT.

The planet is drowning in plastic. The beauty sector generates billions of pieces of packaging every year – most of which ends up in landfills or the ocean. At The Body Shop, we’re always working to reduce our impact on the planet, and we’re committed to becoming the most sustainable business that we can be. We’re focusing on using fewer plastic materials where possible, using more plant-based and recycled plastic and helping people around the world to reuse, repurpose and recycle it. Here’s how we’re doing it.

RETURN. RECYCLE. REPEAT.

Back in 1993, our founder Dame Anita Roddick started a pretty revolutionary in store refill and recycling scheme. It was a big hit, and we know from listening to our customers how much you all loved it.

In 2019, we decided to bring it back. With so many different materials and guidelines around now, it can be confusing figuring out what to do with the bits in your bathroom cabinet. We relaunched our in store recycling scheme to make it easier for you to recycle your empty tubs and tubes with us.

HOW DOES OUR RECYCLING SCHEME WORK?

STEP 1

Next time you visit us in store, return any empty plastic bottles tubs, tubes and pots. Speak to a member of staff first, so they can fill you in on our recycling scheme, what you can recycle and where to return your empties.

STEP 2

With a member of staff, put your clean, empty packaging into the recycling bin. Once the bin is full, our recycling partners, TerraCycle®, collect it so they can recycle or repurpose it into new items like park benches and playgrounds.

STEP 3

Whenever you’re near a store, pop by and do it again! Every time you bring your empty packaging in store, we’ll recycle it. It really is that simple.

WHAT DO I GET IN RETURN FOR RECYCLING?

We’re thrilled our Love Your Body™ Club members have been so on board with our Return, Recycle, Repeat scheme. Thank you for helping us recycle for the planet. As you know, we’ve been rewarding your planet-loving efforts with our Rewards. The £5 Recycle Reward Voucher program has now come to an end, but you can continue to take your old bottles, tubs, tubes, jars and pots in store for us to recycle for you. We are continuing to look at more innovative ways to help the environment (like our Community Fair Trade plastics program) so make sure you keep a look out for updates!

WHERE DOES OUR EMPTY PACKAGING GO?

Once the recycling bins are full up, our recycling partners TerraCycle® collect them and replace them with a new one. The empty packaging gets sorted by TerraCycle® before being repurposed and recycled into raw materials for new products. We repeat this process every time you completely fill up our recycling bins.

MEET OUR RECYCLING PARTNERS, TERRACYCLE®

TerraCycle® are a global, industry-leading recycling business helping us get serious with recycling. Their programme collects recyclable consumer and post-consumer waste. TerraCycle® partner with companies who turn this waste* into raw materials, that can be recycled into new products or repurposed into new items like watering cans and children’s playgrounds.

Their mission is to help the world recycle and upcycle products using circular methods, so less recyclable products are incinerated or sent to landfills. This will help us all achieve a cleaner environment and live more sustainably. Visit their website to learn more.

*Non-accepted waste: Any empty packaging classified as hazardous or flammable, such as perfume bottles, gift packaging and accessories.

WHERE CAN I RECYCLE MY PACKAGING?

We have a number of stores that will be happy to help you recycle your empty packaging.

Find your nearest store

OUR REFILL SCHEME

Although recycling is extremely important, we’re also embracing a circular economy approach to eliminate some of the waste from our products, rather than recycling it. In 2019, we relaunched our pioneering product refill scheme in two of our new concept stores: our Bond Street store in London, and our Pacific Centre store in Vancouver.

All you need to do is visit one of these stores to pick up your refillable 250ml aluminium bottle, choose from eight of our most popular shower gels and fill it up. Once you’ve finished the bottle, give it a rinse, bring it back and refill it. We’ve loved the positive response we’ve had from our new refill stations, and we’re working hard to bring them to more stores soon, as well as introducing refillable shampoos, conditioners and hand wash. Watch this space!

WHAT IS CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation says that "a  circular economy  is based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems."

Put simply, it’s about eliminating waste and using things for as long as possible. Ultimately, our goal is for all of our products and packaging to be compostable, refillable or returnable. We’re working hard on this, but it’s going to take some time. We hope you’ll be with us, every step of the journey.