Nivea calls for clearer labeling on bathroom products amid research revealing UK consumer confusion

17 Oct 2023 --- Research commissioned by Nivea has found that while most people in the UK are trying to recycle their bathroom waste, many are failing to do so due to confusion about which products are recyclable.

One in three (33.08%) are confused about what can and can’t be recycled, which stops them from recycling their bathroom products more frequently and accurately. 

Two out of five respondents (39.46%) said more explicit instructions on the packaging would encourage them to recycle their bathroom waste more. Meanwhile, nearly one in four (22.2%) said they were “afraid” of putting the wrong products in the recycling bin.

“While it’s clear that [UK consumers] are giving recycling their best shot, the survey shows there is real confusion about correctly recycling bathroom waste. Many people are also worried about making mistakes when they’re recycling and the risk of putting products in the wrong bin,” Alison Sammons, brand communications manager at Nivea, tells Packaging Insights.

To coincide with Recycle Week (16-22 October), Nivea encourages consumers to explore improving their bathroom recycling habits.

Gen Z recycling habits
Furthermore, more than one in three (38.52%) said they would like to know more about which lids, caps and additional packaging — not just the bottles themselves — can be recycled and, if not, what to do with them from home.

Nivea unveils UK consumers confusion on recycling bathroom products.Many people are concerned about what happens to their products once they are in the recycling bin. One in three (34.21%) consumers also want greater confidence that their used bathroom products are getting recycled.

While Generation Z is often known for being environmentally conscious, they are the least likely to know when their recycling is collected. Of the surveyed, two in three (64.11%) knew when theirs was collected, significantly less than the average in the UK (86.62%).

Nearly two-thirds (65.52%) of people aged over 55 said they always recycle their bathroom products, compared to two in five (41.73%) of those aged between 35 and 54 and one in three (33.56%) of those aged 18 to 34.

Education and recommendation
The personal care brand recommends customers learn labels and find out what bathroom products can and cannot be recycled. It suggests people put a recycling bin in their bathroom.

“To help cut through this confusion, companies like Nivea have a responsibility to educate and empower people to improve their bathroom recycling habits. This includes providing clear instructions and labeling on packaging to give consumers greater confidence that they’re recycling the correct products.”

“Nivea uses on-pack recycling labels, which provide straightforward instructions for consumers on what can and can’t be recycled across our entire range.”

Nivea is calling on other brands to help cut the confusion around bathroom recycling with more education surrounding labeling.Generation Z is revealed to not know their recycling day despite being seen as an eco-conscious consumer base.

“Alongside providing greater clarity to consumers, brands need to give them the confidence that their products are recyclable. That’s why Nivea has committed to a ‘Plastic Pledge’ to ensure that 100% of our products have refillable, reusable or recyclable packaging by 2025, ensuring that products have a second life, or hopefully many more,” asserts Sammons.

“Binfluencers” promotion
In further developments tackling the recycling issue, Nivea has partnered with Lucy Campbell, National Women’s Surfing Champion, as a sustainability ambassador and three other “Binfluencers” to produce content with tips to make bathroom recycling easier and “stress-free.”

Speaking on the Binfluencer initiative, Dr. Laura Foster, head of Clean Seas at the Marine Conservation Society, a partner organization that is supporting Nivea’s commitments to reduce its plastic footprint, says: “We can all cut down on the plastic we use at home, and make sure that the plastic we do use gets recycled.”

“We found plastic on every single beach that we surveyed across the UK last year. Initiatives like Nivea’s Binfluencer campaign are a great way to encourage recycling of bathroom products — an area where people often don’t recycle.”

By Sabine Waldeck