Marks and Spencer ramps up Beauty Takeback Scheme, in partnership with HANDLE, as retailer adds 60 more stores

M&S has expanded its Beauty Takeback Scheme, in partnership with HANDLE, to an additional 60 stores across the UK, bringing the total number to 100. 

Dedicated beauty takeback scheme boxes are now available in new locations including Birmingham Bullring, Cardiff, and Inverness.

Launched in June 2023 as part of the retailer’s Plan A roadmap to Net Zero, the scheme enables customers to recycle any form of plastic or aluminium beauty packaging - from bottles and tubes to caps, pumps, and tubs – from any retailer, by dropping their used beauty packaging into boxes located within the store’s beauty section.  

Since launching, the scheme has processed over 1.6 tonnes of beauty packaging which otherwise might have ended up in landfill.  As part of M&S’ partnership with HANDLE, this year it has produced a wide-toothed hair comb, made from at least 98% of the recycled packaging collected by M&S. The comb will be available to purchase online and in selected stores for £8.  

Marks and Spencer ramps up Beauty Takeback Scheme, in partnership with HANDLE, as retailer adds 60 more stores

Katharine Beacham, Head of Sustainability, Clothing & Home at M&S, says: “We want to play our part in driving a more circular economy and the circularity services we offer are key to this.”

“Since launching last year, our Beauty Takeback Scheme has proven hugely popular, providing a convenient option for customers to recycle their beauty products. We’re delighted to be able to introduce the scheme to even more of our stores across the UK this month, to enable them to give their empty beauty packaging another life.” 

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Green retail is a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, which are now closed for entries.

The awards, sponsored by Vista Technology Support, Scala, CADS, 3D Cloud, Brightpearl by Sage’s Lightning 50, Business France, and Retail Technology Show 2025, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Check out our finalists here.

Key 2024 dates

Friday, 25th October: Award entry deadline 

Tuesday, 29th October: 2024 shortlist revealed

30th October-6th November: Judging days

Thursday, 21st November: Winners announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, to be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London.