A pilot run in 100 stores in London and the South East of England saw 170,000 Boots customers take part. The trial started in February 2024 and has now processed more than seven tons of blister packs at the group’s facility in Hull.
The scheme forms a part of the partnership’s wider “Recycle at Boots” programme which includes other health and beauty packaging.
Customers who take part in the scheme are able to claim Boots Advantage Card loyalty points in exchange for the used blister packs and other products they deposit in-store. This is facilitated by the scheme’s technology partner, Metrisk, through the “Recycle at Boots” app.
Candice Smith, head of ESG at Boots, said: “Taking medicines or vitamins in blister pack packaging is an essential part of everyday life for many of us – even more so during the winter when it is peak cough cold season.
“We know from our pilot scheme that people want a recycling solution for their empty blister packs, which is why we’re now making it available in towns and cities across the country. We look forward to seeing the recycled materials take on a new life as playground equipment and furniture.”
Steve Carrie, group director of MYGroup, added: “MYGroup offers the only true end-to-end waste recovery process in the UK for blister packs with the convenience of in-store deposit. I’m proud to see our scheme with Boots roll out across the UK. The significant shopper uptake and number of items recycled so far cements our position as the UK’s health, beauty and cosmetics waste management expert.”
The blister pack recycling programme is also run at GP surgeries, pharmacies and veterinary practices.
MYGroup runs a similar collection with Tesco in partnership with consumer healthcare company Kenvue.
How are blister packs recycled?
Blister packs are traditionally difficult to recycle as they contain both aluminium foil and plastic. As a result, they are not usually accepted through household kerbside collections and are sent to landfill or incineration.
MYGroup separates and recovers both the aluminium foil and plastic. The former is sent to a nearby refinery for remanufacturing into ingots while the plastic is sent through both a PVC recycling process for recovery back to supply chains, as well used in the production of the company’s MYboard for hard-to-recycle plastics.
MYBoard is a material similar in consistency to plywood and is used in construction, joinery, shop fittings and furniture.
The process makes provision for accidental hazardous contamination from unused medicines which is recovered into biofuel.
Learn more about the recycling scheme here.
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