Following the Product Demonstration Event on 5th March, as members begin testing their beauty discoveries ahead of voting for the CEW Beauty Awards, we encourage you to think about what happens next – and how to dispose of packaging responsibly.
What Can Be Recycled at Home?
Cardboard cartons, glass bottles and some rigid plastics can often go in household recycling. However, pumps, droppers, mascara wands and mixed-material packaging typically require specialist recycling.
Where to Recycle Beauty Empties
Industry-wide initiatives such as British Beauty Council’s The Great British Beauty Clean Up are making beauty recycling more accessible across the UK. You can list your recycling location on its interactive map or enter your postcode into the online finder to locate your nearest beauty take-back point.
Several retailers now offer in-store schemes for hard-to-recycle beauty packaging:
Space NK
As part of its Better Space initiative, Space NK has partnered with Handle Recycling to keep empty product bottles out of landfills. All empty plastics are accepted, even if they weren’t purchased in store.
Superdrug
Superdrug runs two recycling programmes: one for product bottles, in partnership with Maybelline, and another for medicine blister packets. All items can be disposed of in-store to ensure proper recycling.
Boots
Recycle at Boots allows customers to recycle beauty items, blister packs, electric tools, and even Pencycle insulin pens. Customers can earn Advantage Card points for participation and track their recyclables’ impact through the Scan2Recycle app. Boots is also committed to zero emissions through the British Retail Consortium’s Retail Climate Action Plan.
Marks & Spencer
The Beauty Takeback Scheme lets customers recycle any brand’s plastic or aluminium containers in over 100 UK stores. Some recycled materials are repurposed into products like wide-tooth combs. M&S is committed to net zero by 2040 and uses sustainably sourced materials wherever possible.
LOOKFANTASTIC
Through recycle:me, customers register online and receive a QR code to select their nearest drop-off point. LOOKFANTASTIC also highlights sustainable brands and shares tips for a greener beauty routine.
Sephora
Beauty (Re)Purposed is Sephora’s recycling programme, in partnership with the non-profit Pact Collective, providing a responsible way to dispose of emptied product containers.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s offers soft plastics recycling and participates in the Conscious Together scheme with Maybelline, allowing beauty products from any store to be recycled at in-store receptacles.
The Great British Beauty Clean Up 2026
We are proud to champion innovation across the industry – and that includes encouraging responsible disposal.
Small changes, made collectively, create meaningful impact.
