Boots removes 149 tonnes of plastics from Christmas gift range

Boots cited the impact of shows like Blue Planet in driving more awareness on single-use plastics. Image: Boots

The health and beauty retailer said the reduction has been achieved through a combination of removing plastic components and light-weighting, adding that 149 tonnes of plastic is enough to fill 11 double-decker buses.

Acknowledging that more shoppers will be shopping online in the run-up to Christmas than in previous years, Boots has also removed the bubble wrap, plastic parcel tape and flexible plastic delivery bags from its online shipments made to the UK. The firm claims these moves will reduce the amount of plastic packaging it uses in its deliveries by 76% by weight, paving the way for 100% plastic-free online deliveries by the end of 2020.

Boots is notably a member of WRAP’s UK Plastics Pact, which requires signatories to ensure that all plastics packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025, and to eliminate “unnecessary” single-use plastics through redesign.

“Sustainability has always been important to us and we’re always listening to our customers who really care about the environment and the impact products can have on it,” Boots UK’s senior seasonal buying manager Liz Hewitt said.

“We’ve also introduced more sustainable Christmas gifting ranges, such as Fearne Cotton Happy Place; it’s vegan-friendly, completely free of secondary plastic, and the outer packaging is 100% recyclable. We’re already working closely with our brand and supplier partners to make sure we’re in an even better position next year too”.

The changes from Boots come shortly after the retailer removed single-use plastic carrier bags from its 2,465 UK stores, replacing them with paper alternatives.

Sarah George

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