“This scheme is about taking accountability for the plastics that we put into the world,” said Elisia Gray, ethical buyer at Lush. “While I am very proud that Lush has used 100 per cent recycled plastics for our products for as long as I can remember, this is the next step in truly making sure we close the loop and ensuring that plastics are being recycled and refashioned into new products.”
Right now, diverting landfill is top of mind for many beauty businesses with sustainability goals in mind, said Gray. Several years ago, Lush introduced its ‘Naked’ range, featuring packaging-free products including bath bombs, soap and solid alternatives for items such as fragrance, toothpaste, shampoo and even mouthwash.
“Cosmetics is so overpackaged at the moment. I think in the 1950s, you might have a simple Nivea cream in a tin, but at this stage, we’ve got plastic tubs with a spatula in a box and a sheer plastic film over the top of that,” she noted.
In addition, Lush is also introducing recycled paper carrier bags next week. Each bag will be 10 cents each, the proceeds of which will be donated to a regenerative fund.
“I feel like more than ever, people are more attuned to conscious consumerism. The pandemic has encouraged purpose-driven behaviours and local sentiment has increased as well. People are thinking a lot more about what they purchase and where it comes from,” she said.
According to Gray, Lush’s new initiatives are focused on making it easy for customers to engage in sustainable practices in their everyday lives.
“It’s not about guilting customers. If a customer does choose to get a carrier bag from us, it’s 100 per cent recycled. It’s the same with our black pots. If customers do need to buy plastic, they’re assured we’ve done our due diligence and it’s come from 100 per cent recycled materials and once used it, we’ll take responsibility and incentivise them for bringing it back to us,” she said.
“There’s always somewhere greener out there and I’ve become a bit worn down by it myself. I could be using a reusable cup, but then someone might belittle me because they’ve got a cup made from coffee grounds. We should be speaking more about the positive things that people and brands are actually doing. When you’re made to feel guilty, you check out a bit.”
Lush’s core values have long centred around ethical practices, but in recent years, sustainability has become a buzzword in the retail industry, to the point that consumers are now becoming wary of greenwashing.
“I was at a waste conference pre-Covid and hearing big brands talk about their lofty goals to change their packaging to 100 per cent recycled by 2025, but I think retailers need to be a bit more agile,” Gray said.
“I get nervous about putting Lush on a pedestal because no-one’s perfect and it’s good to be fallible and talk about the areas of the business that you’re trying to change and improve. [Businesses should] choose two core values, whether that’s locality or non-animal-testing, and try to just do those two things really well.”