Boots expands blister pack recycling scheme in the UK
UK-based pharmacy chain Boots is expanding its recycling scheme for medicine and blister packaging to 800 stores across the UK. The blister packs are now recycled into playground equipment and furniture.
Blister packs are made from plastic and foil and cannot be recycled through curbside pickup. Through the scheme, customers who deposit five empty blister packs and spend £5 (US$6.3) in the store receive 100 Boots advantage card points in a loyalty scheme that rewards frequent purchases with points and discounts.
Candice Smith, head of environmental, social, and governance at Boots, says: “Taking medicines or vitamins in blister pack packaging is an essential part of everyday life for many of us — even more so during the winter when it is the peak cough cold season.”
“We know from our pilot scheme that people want a recycling solution for their empty blister packs, so we’re now making it available in towns and cities nationwide. We look forward to seeing the recycled materials take on a new life as playground equipment and furniture.”
Medical packaging recycling
To participate, customers must download the Recycle at Boots app, log their empty blister packs, and wait up to 24 hours for validation. Once validated, they can bring the packs to a participating Boots store, scan the QR code on the deposit box, and receive advantage care points.
The expansion of the recycling initiative follows the pilot scheme last year, which saw 170,000 customers sign up in London and the Southeast.
The blister packaging recycling scheme is part of the Recycle at Boots initiative. In collaboration with technology partner Metrisk and recycling partner MyGroup, the initiative collects medical packaging and converts it into playground materials and furniture.
Taking initiative
Meanwhile, customers can also deposit other hard-to-recycle health and beauty packaging from any brand and track its recycling process as long as they have the advantage card. Customers who deposit other hard-to-recycle materials are awarded 500 advantage card points when they deposit five products and spend £10 (US$12.60) in the store.
Consumers are increasingly demanding that companies take accountability for packaging recycling, either through recycling platforms or tracking initiatives.
Recently, Ericsson and Iot Squared partnered to create the Ericsson Connected Recycling platform in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The platform aims to track waste flow in real-time to enhance circularity and recyclability.
