Yeovil M&S launching new beauty takeback scheme in stores

From today, Somerset shoppers can find dedicated takeback scheme boxes in the beauty department at the Yeovil store, which is one of 60 new locations to launch the scheme, bringing the total number to 100 stores across the UK.

Launched in June 2023 as part of M&S’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 the dedicated boxes. 

Since launching, the scheme has collected over 1.6 tonnes of beauty packaging – the equivalent of a small car - which otherwise might have ended up in landfill. 

As part of M&S’ ongoing partnership with HANDLE, this year, the retailer has produced a wide-toothed hair comb, made from at least 98% of the recycled packaging collected by M&S stores across the UK as part of the scheme. The comb is available to purchase online and in selected stores for £8.

Emma Payas, Store Manager at M&S Yeovil, said: “At M&S Yeovil we want to play our part in driving a more circular economy by creating simple solutions that help our customers live lower carbon lives. Since launching last year, the Beauty Takeback scheme has proved hugely popular and we’re delighted to be able to offer the initiative to Somerset shoppers, providing them with a convenient option to recycle their beauty products and give their empty packaging Another Life.”

M&S’ partnership with HANDLE forms part of Plan A “Another life”, which brings together all the retailer’s circularity services into one place.

From the Beauty Takeback Scheme with Handle, the new repair partnership with SOJO to its long-running clothes donation partnership with Oxfam, which was formerly known as ‘Shwopping’, all initiatives now sit together as part of Plan A - ‘Another Life’ to offer a more seamless experience for customers who are looking for ways they can support a shift to a more circular economy.