The team behind Interpack, a packaging industry event, have published a roundup on refillable packaging in cosmetics, noting that although such solutions have been on the market for a few years, it seems their popularity is now picking up.
“This trend has also been identified by cosmetic brands in the high-end segment such as MAC Cosmetics, Guerlainand Serge Lutens, that already banked on refills as early as 2013,” the event organisers explain.
“Thanks to high-quality packaging empty powder boxes, lipsticks, eye shadows or eyeliners can be given a second life. With a simple click the packaging becomes a timeless artwork and doubles as ecological packaging. This saves money and the environment at the same time – creating a win-win situation for all parties involved.”
Sustainable and fashion-conscious
As consumers increasingly demand products and packaging with sustainable profiles, refillable packaging increasingly looks like the ideal solution.
Various segments have seen innovation, including refillable deodorant packaging and colour cosmetics.
One company, Switch Fresh, has developed a design for a reusable and refillable deodorant bottle. According to TreeHugger, the innovation could reduce plastic usage by 96%, with Americans using 800 deodorant bottles each on average over a lifetime.
Appealing for consumers
Brands that offer refills of products often do so at a lower price than the original product and associated packaging, meaning a cost-saving option for savvy shoppers.
This is likely to appeal particularly to younger consumers, with millennials a group particularly concerned with the ethical/sustainable profiles of their brands and products, and also looking for beauty solutions on the lower end of the price spectrum.
According to Fortune, Boston Consulting Group recently surveyed 4000 millennials on their consumption habits, and half said that the brands they choose say something about who they are as people, and the same number actively try to choose ethical brands.