AS Watson: Cutting Plastic from Health and Beauty Packaging

AS Watson operates as the world's largest international health and beauty retailer, managing 12 retail brands that span 31 markets globally.

The retailer's strategy centres on merging offline and online retail channels, creating a unified shopping experience for its 180 million loyalty programme members.

The business has reinforced its environmental pledges, setting an objective to cut virgin plastic usage by 21%.

AS Watson's virgin plastic reduction strategy

The retailer's plastic reduction ambition encompasses a renewed commitment to decrease virgin plastic in own brand packaging by 21% by 2030, measured against a 2022 baseline.

This target addresses four packaging sources that the business has identified as having the greatest potential for impact:

• Product packaging
• In-store carrier bags
• Online business parcels
• Single-use plastics in warehouses

The company plans to reach this objective through eliminating unnecessary packaging, boosting recycled plastic usage, championing recyclable or reusable packaging and scaling its refill and reuse programmes.

Sebastien Pivet, Chief Sustainability Officer and QA Director at AS Watson, says: "Reducing plastic waste is one of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time and retailers have a responsibility to lead this transition.

"By setting an ambitious 21% reduction target for virgin plastic in our own brand packaging by 2030, we are turning our 185-year legacy of care into clear, measurable actions that cut plastic at source across all our markets.

"By expanding refill and reuse systems and increasing recycled content, we are making significant progress towards reducing plastic waste from our operations."

Collaborative efforts for plastic reduction

AS Watson's virgin plastic objective aligns with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Global Commitment 2030, which offers a framework for businesses to eliminate plastic waste and pollution.

Since 2015, more than 1,200 businesses and organisations have rallied behind this common objective, leveraging the circular economy to establish long-term resilience.

According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's 2030 Plastics Agenda, market transformation and collaborative action in the coming years could be critical.

Major global corporations support the agenda, including Unilever, PepsiCo, UN Environment Programme, Nestlé and L'Oréal.

The retailer is urging businesses, industry peers and partner suppliers to support the agenda and collaborate across the value chain to motivate customers towards sustainable product choices.

According to AS Watson, this collective industry commitment could enable the retail sector to scale circular packaging solutions and achieve substantial environmental benefits.

Rob Opsomer, Executive Lead, Plastics at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, says: "We are at a crossroads. In tackling global challenges, early optimism of what's possible is increasingly colliding with the complex realities of scaling solutions in a shifting and uncertain world.

"We know the destination. A circular economy, where we eliminate the plastics we don't need, innovate towards reuse models and new materials and circulate the plastics we still use.

"This offers a root cause solution to plastic pollution with profound benefits for the economy and for nature, as well as for people and societies."

All sustainability, net zero and sustainable supply chain leaders should attend:

• Sustainability LIVE: The Net Zero Summit - QEII Centre, London, March 4-5
• Sustainability LIVE: The US Summit - Navy Pier, Chicago, April 21-22

Co-located with Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE, these events brings together CSOs, ESG leaders and senior decision-makers at a moment when sustainability, supply chains and commercial performance are increasingly interconnected.

Tickets can be booked online today for The Net Zero Summit and The US Summit. Group discounts available.

Sustainable packaging innovations across brands

AS Watson has been implementing changes across its international footprint, modifying packaging for its brand portfolio.

In Europe, its Superdrug brand has redesigned packaging for the Naturally Radiant range, eliminating the laminated mirror board.

All cartons within this range now feature full recyclability and FSC certification, with each unit containing a minimum of 30% recycled plastic content.

Sebastien adds: "As AS Watson celebrates its 185th anniversary, this milestone reinforces the company's long-standing commitment to making a positive impact across its global operations.

"Sustainability shapes every decision we make and it will continue to guide how we innovate and grow responsibly alongside our customers and communities."