This month is no ordinary month… July is a global moment to raise awareness about plastic waste and inspire change. At Beauty Kitchen, we’ve long recognised this time of year as an opportunity to shine a light on the growing issue of plastic pollution and challenge ourselves—and our community—to make more planet-friendly choices. Because small steps really do make a big difference.
Why It Matters: Facing the Plastic Problem
Plastic has transformed modern life, but its convenience comes at a devastating environmental cost:
Every piece of plastic ever created still exists today.
Globally, over 430 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually, much of it single-use.
Despite widespread recycling initiatives, only 9% of plastic ever created has been recycled.
Around 23 million tonnes of plastic flow into our oceans each year. By 2050, there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish.
This isn't just an environmental problem; it's a deeply human one, affecting our health, wildlife, and future generations. Plastic pollution chokes marine life, disrupts ecosystems, and introduces harmful microplastics into the food chain and even our drinking water. And while plastic gets much of the attention, it's thesingle-use packaging—used once and thrown away—that makes up a huge proportion of this waste.
The Beauty Industry’s Plastic Problem
The beauty industry is a significant contributor to global plastic waste, with billions ofsingle-use bottles, jars, and packaging discarded every year. Recognising this, Beauty Kitchen decided to take a stand—collaborating with reuse platform Reposit to create our innovative Return for Reward programme, becoming one of the first beauty brands to standardise reusable packaging.
Since launching this initiative, we've created durable, reusable packaging from sustainable materials such as aluminium, stainless steel, and glass. Customers can simply return their empty Beauty Kitchen packaging free of charge; we then wash (to medical standards) and reuse it—dramatically cutting down packaging waste.Thanks to the participation of our incredible community, we've already prevented thousands of pieces of single-use packaging from ending up in landfill.
Microplastics: The Hidden Problem in Beauty
Beyond packaging, microplastics—tiny plastic particles added to many beauty formulations as fillers—pose another hidden threat. These microscopic fragments easily pass through our water systems, contaminating rivers and oceans, and harming wildlife. At Beauty Kitchen, we’ve always ensured our product formulations have no microplastics, believing beauty shouldn't come at the expense of our environment or your health.
What We’re Doing This July
In line with the global July campaign to reduce plastic waste and the powerful slogan "Small steps, big difference,”we're encouraging even more customers to take small, meaningful actions by returning their empty Beauty Kitchen packaging. It’s incredibly simple and free to participate—just send your empties back to us and we’ll do the rest.
Plus, we believe good deeds should be rewarded! For every bottle you return through our web app, you'll receive £2 voucher to spend on your next Beauty Kitchen purchase. That means if you return 5 bottles, you'll earn a £10 voucher! (If you return your packaging via the website form you’ll receive a discount off your next purchase.)
By returning your empties instead of throwing them away, you're helping us tackle the issue of single-use packaging waste head-on—and becoming part of a growing movement that’s changing beauty for the better.
Let’s Do This Together
This July, millions of people around the world are taking action to reduce plastic in their lives. Whether it’s switching to refillable beauty, cutting down on single-use plastics and packaging, or simply sharing your story—we’re here for it all.
So let’s keep going. Let’s keep learning. Let’s keep returning
Because small changes really do make a big impact.