Selfridges partners with recycler for cosmetics and fragrance recycling scheme
Key takeaways
- Beauty recycling scheme MyGroup and Selfridges have launched Reselfridges Recycle, allowing customers to return used cosmetics and fragrance packaging.
- Consumers earn an Unlocked Key reward for five returned items.
- Recycling tough-to-process packaging, MYGroup’s ReFactory recovers and reuses materials, including fragrance bottles.
MyGroup has partnered with UK retailer Selfridges to launch a beauty and cosmetics recycling scheme at stores across London, Manchester, and Birmingham. In the Reselfridges Recycle scheme, consumers can return empty perfume, aftershave, and cosmetic containers to selected stores. For every five empty packs returned, consumers receive an Unlocked Key, which unlocks various retailer benefits, including exclusive rewards and experiences.
MyGroup manages the end-to-end collection and processing of items at its facility in Hull, UK. Packaging materials and residual cosmetic products are recovered and returned to supply chains through the ReFactory operation.
The launch follows a trial at Selfridges Trafford Centre in 2025, in which the number of Unlocked Keys collected increased by 271% between September and November.
Steve Carrie, group director at MYGroup, says: “MYGroup has been working with retailers for many years to make beauty take-back a practical, scalable cornerstone of the sector’s commitment to recycling.”
“Through our schemes, we’ve now processed more than 40,000 tons of returned beauty and cosmetic packaging.”
Hard-to-recycle items
MYGroup says that collection and reuse systems are especially important for fragrance bottles, which are hard to recycle and not included in curbside recycling streams. The difficulty in recycling can be due to residual hazardous contents and mixed packaging materials.
“These products are used at scale but are typically binned after use,” says Carrie. “Through Reselfridges, we’re applying our established take-back solution in a department store environment, where even the hardest-to-recycle items can be captured at scale in meaningful volumes and recovered safely.”
Recently, MYGroup partnered with the British Beauty Council to recycle cosmetic packaging that cannot be collected through curbside collection.
Meanwhile, Sephora collected more than 100,000 pounds (~45,000 kg) of empty beauty packaging through its Beauty Re(Purposed) program. Similarly, Kaufland and VollCorner Biomarkt, two German retailers, partnered with the digital platform Reo to trial a deposit return system for personal care packaging.
