A partnership between MYGroup and Boots that encourages customers to deposit used products that can’t be recycled at home in stores has saved over one million items from going to landfill since the scheme started in 2020. This translates to 19 tonnes of product packaging.
The ‘Recycle at Boots’ scheme is currently live in 700 stores and allows the chain’s customers to throw their used beauty, health and wellness product packaging into specially designed recycling bins supplied and collected by MYGroup.
Customers can pre-validate the products they deposit online and are incentivised to do so by receipt of a voucher for 250 Advantage Card points for every five products returned to store (if also making a £10 purchase).
Examples of products not able to be recycled at home that can be deposited in the bins include those made of multiple materials, such as eyeshadow palettes, lipsticks and floss dispensers, as well as those made of completely non-recyclable materials, such as toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes.
Every gram of waste material that can be saved from landfill and returned to good use is another step towards a carbon-reduced future
Customers registering products for disposal in the bins do so using ‘Scan2Recycle’ technology developed by MYGroup’s technology partner, Metrisk Ltd, allowing each deposited item to be traced through its onward journey.
100% of the elements MYGroup collect from the in-store bins are then recycled sustainably via its own facilities and either re-introduced back into the supply chain or processed in-house into actual products through its ReFactory brand.
Products processed by ReFactory are converted into a composite material called Stormboard, similar in consistency to plywood, which is then used to make a wide range of products for re-sale. This has included the manufacture of shop fittings and warehouse storage containers for Boots itself, as well as children’s play equipment and furniture donated for schools and community settings.
MYGroup is currently partnered with other large UK retailers to deliver similar in-store return and collection schemes, including Dulux, Lakeland and The Body Shop on its ‘Return, Recycle, Repeat’ campaign.
‘Every gram of waste material that can be saved from landfill and returned to good use is another step towards a carbon-reduced future,’ said Steven Carrie, Director, MYGroup. ‘We’re extremely proud to be working with Boots and other big retailers to definitively and sustainably close the loop on the disposal of hard-to-recycle waste material.’