Luxury department store group Harrods and waste management company MYGroup have expanded their cosmetics recycling scheme UK-wide across all five ‘H Beauty’ stores.
The programme, which allows customers to bring used beauty, make-up, and skincare products back to stores to be recycled in exchange for rewards via the Harrods’ MyBeauty scheme, was initially deployed in Milton Keynes in January 2023.
The cosmetics recycling opportunity is now also live at H Beauty stores in Bristol, Edinburgh, Lakeside, and Gateshead.
Make-up items such as compacts, mascara, and eye shadow containers, as well as shampoo and skincare bottles, lotion pumps and vitamin bottles, all qualify for the cosmetics recycling scheme. Specially designed bins for depositing items are located next to tills in the participating stores.
Customers returning five or more eligible used items to one of the stores will receive 500 bonus MyBeauty rewards points, in acknowledgment of their environmental awareness.
MYGroup, based in Hull, processes cosmetic waste and already works with several retailers to collect used beauty products and packaging, including Boots.
Items deposited through the H Beauty scheme are collected and recycled at MYGroup’s facility, where the packaging and inner cosmetic product can be fully extracted, recovered, and recycled.
Packaging waste is either composted, re-purposed and returned to supply chains as raw material, or manufactured into MYGroup’s unique solution for ‘unrecyclable’ plastic waste: MYboard. The waste management company said the cosmetic residue is recovered into bio-fuel.
Steve Carrie, group director at MYGroup, commented: “Working with another iconic retail brand in the space further solidifies MYGroup’s position as the market leader in cosmetics recycling.
“Our commitment to innovation and sustainability is at the forefront of a revolution in the waste industry, and through initiatives like this scheme, we’re setting new standards for what can and can’t be recycled, and leading the charge in making sustainability a cornerstone of retail.”
Mia Collins, director of beauty buying at Harrods, remarked: “MyBeauty Recycle & Reward scheme resonates with our loyal customers who are passionate about embracing a more eco-conscious lifestyle.
“Upholding our promise to minimise waste and increase recycling across the business, our collaboration with MYGroup remains pivotal in propelling this mission forward.”
MYGroup said the Milton Keynes trial diverted 200kg of beauty packaging and products from landfill – material that it said was successfully recycled instead.
| Eligible Items | Excluded items |
| All make-up products (compacts, concealers, and foundations (tubes and sticks), eyeliner pencils and cases, eyeshadow tubes and palettes, lip products (lipstick, gloss and balm), make-up palettes and tubes, mascara tubes | Hazardous products including fragrances or nail varnishes |
| Beauty jars | Biodegradable and plant-based plastics |
| Cream containers | Pressurised containers and aerosols |
| Hair care product bottles (non-pressurised only) | Razors or blades |
| Lotion pumps | Toothpaste and toothbrushes |
| Shampoo and conditioner (bottles and caps) | Any samples or testers (these products will be accepted for recycling but qualifying members will not accrue ‘Recycling Rewards’ on these products) |
| Skincare bottles | Cardboard |
| Soap and handwash pumps | Cigarette waste |
| Travel minis | Clothing & fabrics |
| Tubs | Electronic waste and batteries |
| Tubes and caps (including glass) | Food and liquid waste |
| Vitamin bottles | Medical waste |
| Medicinal blister packs | |
| Harmful waste (including but not limited to) sharp glass, flammables, toxic or corrosive materials | |
[Image credit: Green Retail World]
1 thought on “Harrods and MYGroup: All 5 H Beauty stores now offering cosmetics recycling”
How many times are you allowed to deposit your recycle good through the year?