In an innovative move towards greater sustainability, Canadian retail giant Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM) recently announced a pioneering initiative to launch a free recycling program for its private label cosmetics line, Quo Beauty. Did. This program gives customers the opportunity to responsibly dispose of empty cosmetic packages at the convenience of her SDM store.
The program, supported by TerraCycle, Quo Beauty, and SDM, aims to promote packaging recycling, benefit the Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health, and strengthen its commitment to social responsibility. As the first major Canadian retailer to implement such a program for its private label color cosmetics line, SDM is setting an industry precedent and marking a shift toward greater sustainability in the beauty and personal care products industry. We are aiming for
To learn more about our recycling program, we spoke with Kathy Pazakis, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at TerraCycle, for her insight.
Program background
International recycling company TerraCycle, which has been operating in 20 countries for more than 20 years, is developing a “first-of-its-kind process for recycling complex waste streams, such as beauty products, that typically cannot be recycled through over-the-counter services.” He said he is focusing on development. Pazaki people. The company says it “works with brands, retailers, and other stakeholders who fund the recycling process, so we can recycle what’s hard to recycle,” and says it “works with many brands and retailers across North America to recycle beauty products.” and personal care recycling programs: Nordstrom, Holt Renfrew, L’Oréal, Gillette, Herbal Essences, and Schwarzkopf,” she added.
The need for SDM’s partnership with TerraCycle arose because “most cosmetic packaging is small in size and made from complex materials such as different types of plastic, metal, and glass. Because of this, they are not accepted by municipal or curbside recycling programs.” “To recycle, products and packaging must be shredded, cleaned, and separated by material type,” Pazakis explained.
To address these issues, SDM has created a partnership with TerraCycle to provide consumers with a convenient recycling solution for empty Quo Beauty cosmetics, allowing these materials to be recycled into new products and diverted from landfills. We can keep it out of the ground and out of the incinerator,” she said.
How to use
To take advantage of the new free recycling program, Pazakis advised, “consumers can create a TerraCycle account and sign up for the program” on TerraCycle’s website. Customers can then reuse any box to collect their empty Quo Beauty cosmetics packaging. When a box is full, consumers can sign in to their TerraCycle account and submit a prepaid shipping label. “You can download it and use that label to send the empty package to TerraCycle for recycling,” she explained.
After an SDM customer successfully ships an empty Quo Beauty cosmetic product, “the components are shredded, cleaned and separated by material type,” and “then converted into raw materials that manufacturers use to make new products.” It gets recycled,” she continued. As an added incentive for SDM customers to take advantage of the free program, she added, “For every pound of cosmetic packaging recycled through the program, $1 will be donated to the Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health.”
Future Plans
By partnering with TerraCycle, SDM not only provided its customers with a convenient recycling option, but also demonstrated its commitment to reducing waste and promoting circular economy principles. Since the program only recently launched, “we look forward to receiving consumer feedback and working with SDM to drive the future of the program,” Pazakis concluded.
As this initiative gains momentum, SDM will set the standard for other brands and retailers in Canada and North America to follow suit and ultimately contribute to a greener and more sustainable future for the beauty industry and beyond. I would like to set it.
