Waitrose introduces at-home recyclable soap pump for hand wash range

Waitrose has switched from a mixed material pump to a recyclable component for its Essential range of handwashes, sparing over one ton of packaging waste from entering landfills.

The soap bottles are fully recyclable in household bins, allowing consumers to “conveniently” recycle the containers.

Denise Mathieson, head of Packaging Design and Programme Delivery at Waitrose, says:

“We’ve listened to our customers’ feedback, and we’re pleased to make recycling our Essential Waitrose hand wash more convenient than ever.”

“The change reflects our commitment to improving the recyclability of our packaging and offers a tangible way to incorporate more sustainable practices into daily routines and baskets.”

The switch to a recyclable soap pump is expected to prevent approximately 75,787 packaging components, equating to 1.086 tons of packaging waste, from ending up in landfills annually.

The UK supermarket chain also highlights that the Essential hand wash range features a 500 mL refill pouch option for reduced packaging waste. 

Recently, Shiseido, a Japanese cosmetics company, expanded its LiquiForm manufacturing technology to include pump dispenser containers. The solution combines bottle molding and filling into one step, reducing plastic by 56% and CO2 emissions by around 48%, compared to conventional pump applications.