Lush to pay customers for recycling their cosmetics packaging and encourage a switch to ‘naked’ products

Bath and beauty giant Lush will pay customers to recycle their plastic cosmetics packaging amid mounting pressures for companies around the world to embrace the circular economy model.

Between now and the end of July, Lush will deduct $1 from a customer’s purchase for every piece of plastic cosmetics packaging brought in-stores across Australia and New Zealand.

Lush is extending its all-year-round closed-loop packaging incentive program by allowing customers to bring back even non-Lush packaging.

Retail general manager Brittany Gian said it was part of a push for customers to make the switch to “naked”, or packaging-free, products.

“Packaging in the beauty industry is so prevalent and often times, it’s the packaging that we’re really paying for,” she said.

“We are encouraging people to cut out that packaging altogether and come in-store and try one of our shampoo bars or a solid face cleanser.”

It comes as companies around the world face increasing pressure from customers and stakeholders to adjust their business models based on circular economy concepts; that is, a way of doing business in which products and materials are recovered and regenerated at the end of its life.

Known for its fizzy bath bombs, shower jellies and solid shampoo bars, Lush claims its packaging-free products have saved more than 13,800 tonnes of plastic from being produced.

The company said 50 per cent of its core range was “naked”.