Refillable packaging to reduce single-use plastic in personal care

Beauty brands are cultivating refillable packaging solutions to soothe consumer concerns about the environmental impact of single-use plastic in personal care packaging.

The personal care industry is responsible for large amounts of waste from single-use packages. According to The British Beauty Council, 95% of cosmetics packaging in Britain is discarded.

Refill systems in personal care products offer eco-conscious options for consumers focused on environmental impact. They can reduce industry waste and material usage by minimizing single-use plastics and supporting a circular economy.

A 2025 Innova Market Insights survey indicates that 42% of global consumers chose personal care brands with refillable packaging options last year, and 25% overall opted for product alternatives that were packaged in refillable options. 

Personal Care Insights speaks to Great Earth, Constantia Flexibles, and Hyléance Beauty about the potential of refillable packaging solutions to reduce plastic waste. The discussion highlights consumer engagement and manufacturing challenges as influential to the transition to refillable solutions in the personal care industry. 

Consumer engagement and awareness 

The success of refillable packaging in the personal care industry often hinges on consumer engagement about how refillable solutions can relate to broader environmental problems. 

Peter Kerkhofs, market product manager, Film & Paper Category at Constantia, acknowledges that consumer education is imperative for informed decision-making.

“[Refillable options] should not shock or discourage consumers, who are used to single-use products but want to be more environmentally responsible,” he says.

Moreover, Patrik Falk, CEO at Great Earth, indicates the importance of convenience in refillable packaging solutions. He explains that personal care companies should instill loyalty by ensuring that consumers can use the refill system and are attracted to the design. 

The Sweden-based nutritional supplement company offers refill solutions that aim to reduce the amount of packaging waste for its products.

“To overcome this, Great Earth offers refill products at a lower price point, clearly communicates their environmental and financial benefits, and makes them user-friendly. This ensures that sustainability is the right choice and the easy one,” says Falk.

Alexis Hervatin, marketing and communication director for Hyléance, highlights another factor that affects consumer engagement with products touted as eco-friendly: age. Hyléance Beauty creates refillable packaging for hygiene products like deodorants and shower gels. 

“New consumers (generations Y and Z) need transparency in their choice of natural cosmetic formulas. The trend is toward true nature. In this context, refillable packaging is the solution. Packaging should be at the service of the product, not the other way round,” explains Hervatin. 

Refillable packaging is suitable for personal care products like soaps, deodorants, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements.Balancing sustainability, functionality, and aesthetics

Creating refillable packaging that meets eco-friendly needs while engaging consumers involves challenges such as aesthetics, material sourcing, and functionality. Kerkhofs notes that refillable packages often lack the glossy finish of traditional personal care products, but consumers are increasingly accepting the muted tones and matte textures of paper and recycled materials.

“Ultimately, it is about finding the right balance to ensure the refillable packaging is practical, efficient, and aligned with both the brand’s and the consumer’s needs,” he says. 

Another challenge is sourcing eco-friendly and scalable materials for large production needs. Great Earth’s CEO adds that balancing the production of full-size recycled polyethylene terephthalate containers with refill pouches was difficult to incorporate into Great Earth’s refill systems. 

“Great Earth lacked sales trend data for these products, which led to periods where we underestimated demand and temporarily ran out of stock. To address this, we’ve refined our production planning by closely monitoring consumer behavior and sales data, allowing us to anticipate demand better and ensure consistent availability of refill options,” says Falk. 

Ensuring the product performance of refill packaging systems is also imperative for Hyléance. Hervatin stresses the importance of functionality before design and economics, “even though the three are inseparable.” 

Speaking on Hyléance’s refill deodorant, Hervatin says: “We had to initiate a fluid, simple gesture and develop a product that was intuitive, waterproof and designed to last, as in the case of the roll-on, whereas the competition, for example, transformed a fixed deodorant into a refillable one, hence the structural defects.” 

Although industry experts find balancing durability, green goals, and aesthetics challenging, Falk concludes: “The integration of refillable packaging is not just a sustainability measure but a strategic choice that enables industries to combat climate change, reduce landfill waste, and address resource scarcity.”

“By adopting refill systems, brands can align with consumer values, drive environmental progress, and secure a more sustainable future.”

Recycled materials

Although refill options are helpful, Kerkhofs emphasizes that the importance of recyclable packaging and recycling systems should not be overlooked and suggests incorporating reusable materials like aluminum in personal care products alongside refill developments. 

Hyléance estimates that refilling its PureStick refill roll-on deodorant 12 times improves CO2 impact by 85%, compared to using 12 disposable roll-ons.“Packaging choices should be guided by true environmental footprint rather than just perceived sustainability,” says Kerkhofs, while acknowledging that refill solutions can still play a role in influencing consumer awareness and behavior.

Yet, the marketing and communication director for Hyléance, Hervatin, says: “Refillability makes a real difference when compared, for example, with the choice of a recycled material.” 

Hyléance estimates that refilling its PureStick refill roll-on deodorant 12 times improves CO2 impact by 85%, compared to using 12 disposable roll-ons. 

Falk, from Great Earth, suggests that the wider trend of environmentally aware packaging depends on prioritizing long-term, holistic goals rather than short-term fixes. He says refillable packaging solutions cater to this demand, offering consumers the option to engage with climate change on a daily basis.

“Refillable packaging solutions are a cornerstone of creating a circular economy, reducing dependency on virgin resources, minimizing waste, and empowering consumers to make environmentally conscious choices,” explains Falk.