While cosmetic industry suppliers have made tremendous strides in re-thinking and re-vamping packaging options over a relatively short time, massive challenges remain on the road to sustainable packaging.
In addition to PET, rPET, mono-materials, and other recyclable plastics, refillable packs have emerged as a promising potential solution, and designers and manufacturers have created numerous bottles, cans, jars, pumps, and tubs—all ready to take on the responsibility. Suppliers and brands are doing all they can to make disassembly and recharging as simple and easy as possible. But increased costs (in some cases), consumer and retail reluctance, loyalty habits, and more, continue to stand in the way.
In Europe, refillables are seemingly gaining acceptance, as legislation about their use draws nearer. Notably, this solution has been more available in Europe, where refill stations and other re-use habits have been in place for years.
In this month’s feature story on Refillable Packaging, we spoke with suppliers near and far to find out about the trends they’re seeing, which features brands and consumers are most excited about—and what they see as the next step and probable future of refillables.
Our stand-side interviews with exhibitors at Luxe Pack New York and MakeUp in Paris add to the Refillables conversation. Interestingly, premium brands are leading the charge (no pun intended) to Refillables, offering luxe jars as keepsakes, while re-ordering the formula. This especially relates to products where brand loyalty has already been proven—such as with Chanel’s Sublimage and Stella McCartney’s refills of the Alter.
Care skincare range. With brands such as these, refills are often priced comparably to the original cream or fragrance in the keepsake jar or bottle.
Of course, there are numerous mass-market and indie brands also moving in a refillable direction—most often with fragrance, color palettes, haircare, and body products.
David Luttenberger, Global Packaging Director at Mintel, told Beauty Packaging that in 2020, Mintel’s global packaging team said that it believed “the rise of refills in beauty and personal care was unstoppable.”
Will it remain so?
We’ll be monitoring it closely.
Enjoy the summer!
