There are many hard-to-recycle items that many of us currently throw away which can actually be recycled at Boots! And, for customers with an Advantage Card who wish to participate in the 'Recycle at Boots' scheme, these empty items can actually result in Advantage Card points, which can be spent in store!
We've included a guide below on what and how to recycle, and how to turn empties into points.
If you're interested in gaining some extra points to spend, or just want to do a little more for the environment, you can get involved!
What items can I recycle?
The Boots scheme is designed for items that can't be recycled at home, so check with your local waste removal services first to see what can go into your normal bins. Items like plastic and glass bottles, cardboard boxes, and aerosols can usually go in the normal recycling bin.
Beauty items that can be recycled include items such as make-up packaging, including palettes and tubes, and non-recyclable tubes like toothpaste and some conditioners, and other non-recyclable items such as lotion pumps. There's a full list on the app if you're unsure. You can find stores to recycle your beauty items here. Products need to be empty and as clean as possible before dropping off!
Blister packs from vitamins and medicines can also be recycled - specialist recycling facilities are able to separate the plastic and aluminium to be turned into something new! Always make sure these are empty before dropping off - speak to a pharmacist about safely disposing of medicine if you have leftover tablets you won't be taking. You can find a list of stores with blister pack recycling facilities here.
Recycling facilities are separate for beauty products and blister packs, and you can drop off in-store even if you're not an Advantage Card customer - you just won't receive any points in exchange.
How can I get points for my items?
Currently, 5 eligible blister packs deposited in 1 go receive a voucher for 100 Advantage Card Points when you spend £5, and 5 eligible Beauty Products recycled together will receive a voucher for £5 worth of Advantage Card Points when you spend £10. Terms apply - see the Boots site for full details. 1 voucher is issued per deposit, so even if you drop off 10 items, you'll only get 1 voucher. Once the voucher has been issued, it must be used on an in-store purchase on the same day, and once activated, it is valid for 5 minutes, so wait till you're at the till! Customers are limited to 4 vouchers per month and can only redeem 1 voucher per day.
To get points for your recycled items, you need to be signed up for the Boots Advantage Card programme, and also have the Recycle at Boots app. Both of these are free, and you can also earn points on your Boots purchases in-store and online, as well as receive exclusive vouchers and discounts, such as double points during your birthday month with an Advantage Card account. The Recycle at Boots app needs to be linked to an Advantage Card, and the linked card is the only one that can receive the points.
The Recycle at Boots app works for beauty products and blister packs, so you only need 1 app to recycle both - just toggle between the 2!
You will need to add your empty products into the app for them to be eligible for the scheme - you can take an image of the item you'd like to recycle in the app, and you might need to select a few categories too, such as brand and packaging type. The image is reviewed, and your eligible items will be added to 'Approved'. Once you have 5 approved items, you can take them to your nearest recycling point!
You will need to scan a QR code on the relevant recycling deposit bin and select the items you are dropping off - you can follow the instructions in the app or ask a member of staff if you need any help. Once this has all been processed, you will receive a voucher in the app!
To redeem your vouchers, simply shop in-store and hit the required redemption amount on your transaction, either £5 or £10. Scan your Advantage Card, then scan the recycling voucher before making payment. The points will be added to your card once the payment has been completed.
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