Boots launches blister pack recycling scheme across 100+ retail outlets

UK – Boots has initiated a blister pack recycling pilot scheme spanning over 100 stores in London and the South East of England, with plans for nationwide expansion within the next year.

The scheme, an extension of the popular Recycle at Boots initiative, encourages customers to recycle empty health and beauty product packaging, including blister packs, which are typically not accepted in household kerbside collections.

By dropping off used blister packs in dedicated collection bins at participating stores, customers can earn rewards.

Boots Advantage Card holders, for instance, receive 150 Boots Advantage Card points when they recycle 15 empty blister packs and spend £10 or more in-store.

Blister packs, composed of plastic and foil and commonly used for vitamins and medicines, pose a challenge for traditional recycling methods.

Boots aims to address this issue by diverting millions of used blister packs from landfills through this new initiative.

Natalie Gourlay, Head of ESG at Boots, emphasized the company’s commitment to facilitating sustainable choices for customers, from product purchase to packaging disposal.

The initiative aligns with the broader Recycle at Boots program, which utilizes technology partner Metrisk and recycling partner MYGroup to ensure effective recycling practices.

Under the scheme, customers can earn rewards by scanning empty blister packs and other hard-to-recycle health and beauty products through Scan2Recycle, with points redeemable upon spending £10 in-store.

Once collected, the blister packs and other empties are sent to MYGroup for processing, where specialized machinery separates the materials.

The metal foil is conventionally recycled, while the plastic is repurposed into MYBoardTM, a versatile material used in construction and furniture.

Steve Carrie, Group Director at MYGroup, expressed pride in the collaboration with Boots, highlighting the opportunity to significantly scale up the recycling of blister packs with this initiative.

Recycle at Boots collection bins are already available in over 700 stores across the UK, with blister pack collection bins initially introduced in over 100 stores and planned expansion in the next 12 months.

In addition to recycling efforts, Boots is empowering customers to make sustainable choices through its Be More Edit, which categorizes products into plastic-free, recycled, reusable, vegan, and cruelty-free options.

Furthermore, Boots is actively reducing plastic usage in its products, such as by discontinuing plastic-based wet wipes in 2022 and advocating for similar actions across the industry.

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