Prevented Ocean Plastic: LUSH making the swap as first global cosmetics retailer

LUSH, the British cosmetics retailer is constantly looking for ways to innovate with packaging, especially when it helps its mission to “Leave the world lusher than we found it”, and is aiming to continue this through introducing Prevented Ocean Plastic™ Globally.

Lush has been using 100% recycled PET for their clear bottles for more than a decade, and this is an exciting next step. In the UK, through working with its suppliers Spectra Packaging, Lush has introduced certified recycled Prevented Ocean Plastic ™ for its 100ml, 250m and 500ml bottles. The Lush Manufacturing sites in Germany and Croatia have also rolled out Prevented Ocean Plastic ™ across these sizes, with Lush North America and Japan to follow suit later this year, each working with their local bottle manufacturers. The 1L bottles are still in transition across all markets, but will be introduced later this year. This will allow Lush to roll Prevented Ocean Plastic ™ out globally.

Every time a customer takes home a product in a clear plastic bottle marked with the Prevented Ocean Plastic trademark, Lush says, “they’re helping to protect marine ecosystems and the coastal communities who are at the forefront of the effects of ocean plastic pollution.”

The plastic is collected, taken to the collection centres before going through the recyclers, to packaging manufacturers for material distribution to Lush and other retailers for branding and use.

“Seeing how much impact the Prevented Ocean Plastic™ Programme has had on the communities in areas at high risk of plastic pollution, being part of preventing tonnes of plastic from entering the oceans as well as improving transparency of the supply chain is very much fulfilling our Lusher than we found it statement. I feel honoured to have worked with such a passionate and inspirational group of people who care about people and the environment.” – Karolina Michalska, Creative Buying, LUSH

Not only is the Prevented Ocean Plastic™ actively fighting further ocean pollution, but customers in 17 markets can ensure that, when they have finished their Lush products, the packaging is returned through the Bring it Back scheme where it is responsibly recycled.

Since launching the Bring it Back recycling scheme in 2021, 2.27 million individual items have been returned and therefore diverted from becoming plastic waste (55.5 est. tonnes in weight, the equivalent of 63 polar bears).

The Lush Green Hub in the UK is a building that showcases Lush’s commitment to and investment in finding solutions for materials that could be considered as waste. With six core teams working together at the Green Hub, Lush is creating circular economies, working to close the loop on packaging and water waste, and find solutions to reuse, repurpose, repair and recycle materials from across the business.

Source: LUSH

*calculated using an average weight of 20g per bottle collected in Indonesia. Weighing activity conducted in July 2023 within the Prevented Ocean Plastic™ South East Asia supply chain, inclusive of clear/light and light blue material grades, without caps and labels.