Beauty waste poses a significant challenge. With over 120 billion packaging units produced globally, much ends up in landfills. The British Beauty Council's Sustainable Beauty Coalition (SBC) is launching 'The Great British Beauty Clean Up' campaign.
Starting in March 2025, this initiative aims to address beauty waste by uniting retailers and brands. By promoting product reuse, refilling, and recycling through take-back schemes, we can drive meaningful change.
Currently, 21 leading retailers and brands support this important initiative. Beauty enthusiasts are being encouraged to collect their empties, including those typically discarded in the bathroom bin. When March 2025 arrives, The Sustainable Beauty Coalition will share simple steps for everyone to reduce, refill, reuse, and recycle their products. An interactive map will showcase brands with take-back schemes, guiding you to return your empties.
“The beauty industry brings joy, self-confidence, and serves as a form of expression for many, but it shouldn't harm the planet. The Sustainable Beauty Coalition has long led efforts to minimise our industry's environmental impact. This new campaign aims specifically to decrease beauty empties ending up in landfills,” says Millie Kendall OBE, founder and CEO of the British Beauty Council.
The beauty industry brings joy, self-confidence, and serves as a form of expression for many, but it shouldn't harm the planet
Millie Kendall OBE, founder and CEO of the British Beauty Council
The campaign will focus on four key areas:
- Reduce: Inspiring brands to promote conscious consumer choices (beauty routines expanded from eight to 27 steps between 2006 and 2016, resulting in increased waste).
- Refill / Reuse: Opting for refill options cuts waste and saves money.
- Household recycling: The SBC will clarify which items are eligible for take-back schemes and what belongs in regular recycling bins..
- Recycling: The SBC will offer tips on effectively recycling household and bathroom waste.
Launching in March, the campaign aligns with Waste Week, Global Recycling Day, and the United Nations International Day of Zero Waste, with the goal to significantly reduce waste at the end of beauty product lifecycles.
Before the launch, gather your hard-to-recycle beauty empties, including smaller items, those made from mixed materials, or non-recyclable containers.
In March, our map will assist everyone in finding return points for their beauty empties. Let's make a difference this Waste Week. Start collecting now.
