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THG has expanded its consumer recycling scheme that targets hard-to-recycle beauty packaging, allowing brand partners to offset new packaging waste fees.
The scheme offers a collaborative approach to tackling the beauty industry’s waste problem, which sees an estimated 120 million units of packaging thrown away each year.
It now provides insight into consumer recycling behaviour and supports Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR fees), a policy whereby retailers must take financial responsibility for the end-of-life management of products and packaging.
Mark Jones, Chief Sustainability Officer at THG, said: “For brands, recycling schemes are complex and costly. With recycle:me, we are offering our brand partners a cohesive industry approach that provides the level of data needed under new Extended Producer Responsibility regulations.”
In conjunction with THG-owned beauty retailers Lookfantastic and Cult Beauty, the initiative also now allows consumers to recycle any brand’s beauty packaging at no cost, using a Royal Mail doorstep collection service.
The original recycle:me scheme launched in 2021 but required consumers to post or drop off their parcel.
Users just need to scan their empties, wait for approval, and ship or drop off approved items to receive rewards.
In partnership with waste management company MYGroup, the packaging will then be repurposed and used for new projects such as beauty packaging research and development or creating equipment for schools.
Sales promotion, marketing and digital firm Metrisk has also partnered with THG to create a free app for consumers to scan their packaging, arrange a doorstep collection, and track reward points in exchange for eligible products.
Alistair Morelli, Co-founder of Metrisk, said: “We’re thrilled to partner with THG’s recycle:me scheme to divert excess cosmetics packaging from landfill. The technology behind our app offers full traceability, allowing brands to confidently report on the lifecycle of their products.”
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