Harrods and MYGroup expand cosmetics recycling initiative

Luxury retailer Harrods, in collaboration with leading waste management company MYGroup, is extending its successful cosmetics recycling initiative to all five H beauty stores nationwide.

Previously trialed and proven effective, the programme allows customers to bring used beauty, makeup, and skincare items to participating stores for recycling, earning rewards through Harrods’ MyBeauty programme. The initiative is now operational at H beauty Bristol, Edinburgh, Lakeside, Gateshead, and Milton Keynes.

H beauty customers can recycle a wide array of products, including makeup items, shampoo and skincare bottles, and vitamin containers. Specially designed bins for item drop-offs are conveniently located near store tills. Customers returning five or more eligible used items will receive 500 bonus MyBeauty rewards points.

According to the British Beauty Council, just 9% of cosmetic packaging is recycled through traditional household waste channels, with the majority ending up in landfills. The H beauty recycling initiative aims to address this environmental concern.

MYGroup, a pioneer in processing cosmetic waste, operates a dedicated UK-based facility in Hull, East Yorkshire. The facility utilises advanced technological processes to fully extract, recover, and recycle both packaging and inner cosmetic products. Committed to sustainability, MYGroup composts packaging waste, re-purposes it into raw material for supply chains, or manufactures it into MYboard™—a unique solution for 'unrecyclable' plastic waste. Cosmetic residue is transformed into bio-fuel.

Steve Carrie, Group Director, MYGroup, said: I am immensely proud of our collaboration with Harrods and the expansion of our cosmetics recycling scheme across all H beauty stores. Working with another iconic retail brand in the space further solidifies MYGroup’s position as the market leader in cosmetics recycling. Our commitment to innovation and sustainability is at the forefront of a revolution in the waste industry, and through initiatives like this scheme, we’re setting new standards for what can and can’t be recycled, and leading the charge in making sustainability a cornerstone of retail.

The expansion of the programme to the five H beauty stores follows a successful 2023 trial at the Milton Keynes location. Throughout the pilot phase, MYGroup and Harrods diverted 200kg of beauty packaging and products from landfills, achieving positive customer feedback. H beauty patrons praised the recycling scheme for its rewards and sustainability initiatives.