First major retailer to offer a recycling program for private label colour cosmetics line in partnership with TerraCycle^®

TORONTO, Ontario (March 25, 2024) –– Shoppers Drug Mart Inc. ("Shoppers Drug Mart") is making strides toward its commitment to reduce plastic waste with the launch of the Quo Beauty Cosmetics Free Recycling Program(Open in a new tab). The global cosmetics industry produces an estimated 120 billion units of packaging every year¹, most of which are not accepted through curbside recycling services. In partnership with international recycling leader TerraCycle, the new program introduces a convenient solution for customers to recycle empty Quo Beauty cosmetics components and keep plastic packaging from going to landfills and incinerators.

For each pound of cosmetics waste shipped in through the recycling program, $1 will be donated to Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health^TM(Open in a new tab). Shoppers Foundation creates equitable and accessible care for all women in Canada, empowering them to lead healthier lives.

Shopper’s partnership with TerraCycle comes less than a year after the launch of “More Planet Love” by Quo Beauty which includes over 500 products with more sustainable packaging, using recycled plastics, mono-materials, and reduced plastic packaging. Additionally, the entire Quo Beauty lineup is vegan, cruelty-free, and PETA-certified, further contributing to a more sustainable planet.

“As we work to ensure all control brand packaging is recyclable or reusable by 2025, we continue to look for new and innovative ways to eliminate the use of single-us plastics for all product packaging,” says Pat Dean, SVP, Category Management, Shoppers Drug Mart. “We are proud to partner with TerraCycle as the first major retailer to offer a recycling program for a private label colour cosmetics line, offering more sustainable choices to Canadians and reducing our impact on the planet.”

Across the Enterprise, Shoppers aims to have all control-brand packaging meet the Golden Design Rules(Open in a new tab) by 2025.

How does the TerraCycle program work?

Beginning today, customers can mail in their eligible empty Quo Beauty cosmetics components by signing up on the TerraCycle program (Open in a new tab)page(Open in a new tab) and downloading a prepaid shipping label. Once collected, the cosmetic packaging is cleaned and separated by material type, and then recycled into raw formats that manufacturers use to make new products.

What items can be recycled?

The following Quo Beauty cosmetics components are eligible for recycling:

• Plastic and glass tubes, pots, pumps, sprays, and jars

• Lipstick, lip balm, lip gloss tubes, and wands

• Mascara tubes and wands

• Eyeliner pencils and components

• Eyeshadow and bronzer components

• Foundation packaging

• Powder components

• Concealer tubes and sticks

Nail polish bottles, nail polish remover bottles, makeup wipes and sponges, makeup brushes, and pressurized canisters (including aerosol cans) will not be accepted through this program.

"The majority of cosmetic products are not accepted by curbside recycling services due to their complex, multilayer packaging, which often includes small components such as wands, pumps, and caps that slip through the sorting machinery at recycling facilities," said Tom Szaky, TerraCycle founder and CEO. “As the first major retailer in Canada to create a free recycling program for their own private-label beauty brand, Shoppers Drug Mart is setting a great example for the beauty industry.”

The Quo Beauty Cosmetics Free Recycling (Open in a new tab)Program(Open in a new tab) is open to any individual, school, office, or community group. To learn more about TerraCycle’s recycling process for cosmetic packaging, please visit www.terracycle.ca/how-terracycle-recycles-beauty-products.(Open in a new tab)

About Shoppers Drug Mart

Shoppers Drug Mart Inc. is one of the most recognized and trusted names in Canadian retailing. The company is the licensor of full-service retail drug stores operating under the name Shoppers Drug Mart^® (Pharmaprix^® in Québec). With almost 1,350 Shoppers Drug Mart^® and Pharmaprix^® stores operating in prime locations in each province and two territories, the company is one of the most convenient retailers in Canada.

About TerraCycle

TerraCycle is an international leader in innovative sustainability solutions, creating and operating first-of-their-kind platforms in recycling, recycled materials, and reuse. Across 21 countries, TerraCycle is on a mission to rethink waste and develop practical solutions for today’s complex waste challenges. The company engages an expansive multi-stakeholder community across a wide range of accessible programs, from Fortune 500 companies to schools and individuals. To learn more about TerraCycle and join them on their journey to move the world from a linear economy to a circular one, please visit www.terracycle.com(Open in a new tab).