The Body Shop Canada has launched a national refill program to help take action against the global plastic crisis.
Participating locations in Canada will offer shoppers a refillable aluminum bottle for a selection of the brand's best-selling shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, and hand washes.
This is the company's first step in a 5-year plan to roll out refill stations in the majority of their stores across the globe.
The Body Shop's founder Dame Anita Roddick opened her first store in Brighton, England, in 1976, and developed a refill service out of necessity. She refilled her customers' bottles because she could not afford new ones—and grew up with the mentality to reuse, refill and recycle whenever possible.
Now, 45 years later, The Body Shop is bringing back refills—aiming to make sustainable packaging easy, convenient, and accessible. Hilary Lloyd, vice president of marketing, says, "Our customers have been eagerly awaiting for refills to return to The Body Shop," Lloyd continues, "We're thrilled to be embracing a circular economy approach and provide this sustainable alternative."
By switching to refills, every customer can prevent approximately 32 plastic bottles from going to landfills—and, collectively, The Body Shop and its customers could eliminate the use of over 25 tons of plastic each year.
Beginning in April 2021, The Body Shop launched refill stations across 400 stores globally, and plans an additional 400 stores in 2022.
