The Body Shop Increases In-Store Refill Stations, Adds Makeup

One year after introducing its “refill revolution” to U.S. stores, The Body Shop, a Natura &Co beauty brand, is continuing its efforts to reduce plastic packaging through new refillable product offerings and in-store stations.

In 2021, The Body Shop rolled out in-store refill stations across 400 of its stores globally and doubled that number in 2022, as part of a five-year plan to launch the stations in the majority of its stores. The Body Shop U.S. now offers refill stations in 50% of its stores, according to a media release from the company.

The stations originally allowed shoppers to bring in and reuse their own aluminum bottles (up to 300 milliliters) to fill with any of the brand’s shower gels, shampoos, conditioners or hand washes.

In February, The Body Shop expanded its refillable offerings beyond hair care and soaps to include cosmetics with the launch of Peptalk Lipstick, which comes in a refillable case made from 100% recycled aluminum. This collection contains Community Fair Trade Shea Butter and is available in 20 shades, including nudes, reds, pinks and purples.

While convenience remains a barrier to widespread adoption of refill programs, The Body Shop says younger, eco-conscious shoppers have boosted its refill adoption rates in the U.S. The program is most popular among consumers aged 16-34 and sales of refillable products increased 65% throughout 2022, per the release.

"The climate crisis is the greatest risk facing our future, which is why we call on beauty lovers everywhere to use their purchasing power to embrace a circular economy," Hilary Lloyd, vice president of marketing and corporate social responsibility for The Body Shop North America, said in the release.

"Young people are cognizant of what's at stake for the planet, which is why they're embracing The Body Shop's ambitious sustainability agenda,” Lloyd added.

The Body Shop is also bringing the refill program to more stores in Canada, and will open seven Changemakers' Workshop concept stores throughout Canada this year to empower shoppers to reduce plastic waste. The stores were designed with sustainability in mind and leverage upcycled and reclaimed materials, installations from local artists and information about local causes for customers to support. 

[READ MORE: Beauty Brand Expands Eco-Friendly Concept in Canada]

The beauty retailer is also addressing recycling with its Community Fair Trade partner, Plastics for Change. The Body Shop works with waste pickers in Bengaluru, India, to remove plastics from the streets while providing “livable wages and better working conditions to an informal sector that is often volatile and discriminatory,” per the release.

Since The Body Shop began its partnership in 2019, it says Plastics for Change has collected 4,409,245 pounds of plastic waste which equates to 100 million plastic bottles. And in the U.S., the refill program has diverted 576 pounds of plastic (i.e., 12,749 bottles) from being wasted in its first year of operation in the U.S.