L’Oréal Hong Kong is kicking off a cross-brand recycling program with its 13 beauty brands. This month, Kiehl’s, Lancôme and L’Oréal Paris will be taking the lead in accepting used product containers at their stores.
 
By the end of Q2 2021, the program will cover the group’s other 10 beauty brands in Hong Kong, contributing together to Hong Kong’s sustainable development through joint effort of the brands. Partnering with local environmental social enterprise V Cycle, beauty packaging which can be recycled in the program includes not only plastic bottles but also glass and metal parts of the beauty products such as mascara tubes, brow pencils tubes and body, lipstick cases and compact powder cases, etc.
 
Green Beauty Consumer Survey
 
This news follows the results of L’Oréal Hong Kong’s Green Beauty Consumer Survey, released ahead of “Global Recycling Day.” The survey revealed the following:
 

• 70% of consumers claim that they have a more serious attitude towards environmental issues and are willing to take more actions to reduce the use of plastic.
• However, only 30% of consumers took proper measures to recycle used beauty bottles and packaging.
• Only 35% of consumers are aware of beauty brand recycling programs in the market, and only 23% of consumers have participated in these programs
• Major barriers towards recycling were poor access to recycling facilities (41%) and inadequate recycling points in Hong Kong (32%)

 
“The survey has helped us better understand the local consumer attitude and behavior towards sustainability,” said Eva Yu, president & managing director of L’Oréal Hong Kong. “We are at a critical point with regards to the future of our planet, and we welcome the increased awareness on this front. As a leader in the beauty industry, our goal is to work closely with our local community to drive sustainability and take actions with consumers to preserve the environment. As such, our first-ever recycling campaign is designed to do exactly this.”
 
“Having worked alongside L’Oreal Hong Kong for 2 years, we’re delighted and grateful for the opportunity to step up our efforts in this exciting citywide recycling program,” said Eric Swinton, founder and CEO at V Cycle. “In offering people a platform to recycle and reuse valuable resources, we are creating a circular economy that benefits both the environment and our society, while changing consumption habits by stemming the inflow of plastic. We are confident that together with L’Oreal Hong Kong, we will raise consumer awareness on the need to recycle and that this initiative will inspire people to take action.”