World Refill Day took place on 16 June to raise awareness of the environmental benefits and waste reduction potential of using refill options when consuming products – and beauty company L’Oreal took the opportunity to launch a new campaign of its own.
The group unveiled its first global multi-brand, multi-category, multichannel campaign, #JoinTheRefillMovement, which aims to encourage consumers to embrace refills as part of their beauty buying habits.
The campaign, which was timed to align with World Refill Day, has brought together some of L’Oreal’s biggest brands, including Lancôme, Armani beauty, Yves Saint Laurent Beauty, Kiehl’s, Mugler, Maison Margiela Fragrances, Prada Beauty, Valentino Beauty, L’Oréal Paris, Kérastase, L’Oréal Professionnel, and La Roche Posay.
As well as significant activity on group and individual brand online and social channels, the campaign is being amplified by some of L’Oreal’s major retail partners. The key aim of the initiative is to raise visibility about the growing number of refill options now available across a wide range of beauty products.
The campaign showcases the benefits of refills, which include reducing the need for more packaging material production and financial savings for consumers. L’Oreal notes that each time someone buys a 100ml refill instead of rebuying two 50ml bottles of La Vie Est Belle Elixir fragrance, for example, they save 73% glass, 66% plastic and 61% cardboard.
Blanca Juti, chief corporate affairs & engagement officer at L’Oréal, commented: “This campaign brings together some of our most iconic brands to invite consumers everywhere to #JoinTheRefillMovement.
“We’d love consumers around the world to experience how easy and rewarding it is to make the switch to refills and incorporate them into their regular beauty routines.”
Ezgi Barcenas, chief corporate responsibility officer at L’Oréal, added: “As the global beauty leader, we have an opportunity, as well as a responsibility to create more circular solutions and set a new industry standard.
“Achieving this vision at scale demands more than innovation – it requires intention and action. That is why we are mobilising our brands, our business partners, and our consumers to make refills the new norm.”
L’Oreal said it has adapted its manufacturing sites around the world to enable a 17-fold increase in the number of refillable options available over the past five years.
On this year’s World Refill Day, environmental charity City to Sea called on retailers and the UK government to make commitments to ensure 30% of packaging is reusable by 2030.
Research from the not-for-profit organisation found 74% of UK consumers would like more brands to provide reusable, refillable, or returnable packaging, but just 18% of shoppers are aware of where to find refillable options.
Read more about beauty retail on Green Retail World.
[image credit: Green Retail World]
