As part of an accelerated effort to respond to the unprecedented challenge the planet is facing, Superdrug has become the first health and beauty retailer to join New Plastics Economy Global Commitment which promotes a circular economy for plastic.
The NPE Global Commitment initiative is led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme.
The retail group has set out the following pledges to show its commitment to reducing plastic pollution:
- Eliminate unnecessary plastic by avoiding over-packaging and halving PVC use, with a complete ban on PVC by 2020
- Using a minimum of 20% recycled plastic content in plastic packaging by 2025, if the supply of recycled plastic permits it
- Promoting packaging that is recyclable or reusable
The company has also signed up as a member to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to support the use of sustainable palm oil.
Simon Comins, Commercial Director at Superdrug, said: “At Superdrug, we are incredibly excited to be part of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment and RSPO to address the impact of palm oil to support the use of sustainable palm oil derivatives. Sustainability and supporting the environment are both incredibly important causes to us as a business, so we are pleased to take the lead in becoming the first health and beauty retailer to join the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. Where more responsible choices can be made, we are committed to working with the wider business and other organisations to create a more sustainable environment and enable us to offer these choices to our customers.”
The retailer has already taken steps to reduce its plastic waste from own brand products such as makeup brushes and is removing black plastic caps from products which is notoriously hard to recycle.
As part of its commitment to promote responsible Own Brand products, A.S. Watson has also taken a Group membership with the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil, a leading organisation promoting social and environmental compliance in the palm oil industry and for example the retailers own brand B. cosmetics uses 91% sustainable palm oil.
For more information visit: www.aswatson.com
