L’Oréal’s Path Toward Refill and Reuse

Insights from SPICE Case Studies

At the Sustainability in Packaging Conference, happening on 21-23rd October in Barcelona, L’Oréal shared valuable findings from its ongoing work within the Sustainable Packaging Initiative for Cosmetics (SPICE) — a pre-competitive platform where major beauty brands collaborate to develop harmonised methodologies and tools to assess the environmental impact of packaging.

Their latest presentation focused on reuse and refill models, a topic gaining traction as the cosmetics industry explores ways to reduce single-use packaging and accelerate progress toward circularity.

Four Reuse Models

L’Oréal’s work is grounded in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Refill & Return Matrix, which categorises reuse systems into four models based on where and how consumers interact with packaging:

1. Refill at Home

2. Refill at Point of Sale (POS)

3. Return at Home

4. Return at POS

Each model presents different challenges — from infrastructure and logistics to consumer acceptance — but all aim to reduce environmental impact compared with single-use packaging.

Methodology

To ensure comparability, the case study assessment methodology followed a structured approach:

• Structure: Based on Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s 4-quadrant reuse model.

• Terminology & Definitions: Harmonised with FEBEA and CITEO to ensure consistency.

• LCA Methodology: Used the SPICE Tool and Product Environmental Footprint (PEF 3.1) methodology.

• Reuse Scenarios & Data: Evaluated across multiple packaging types in collaboration with L’Oréal, LVMH, and Unilever.

The assessment process involved:

1. Selecting the best packaging type for analysis.

2. Testing it under four reuse scenarios.

3. Evaluating environmental performance (measured in LCA impact reduction compared with single-use).

Case Study 1 – Return at POS (Glass Bottle, 25 ml)

The study tested the impact of repeated reuse cycles for a glass perfume bottle.

Findings:

• Environmental impact reduction: up to 35% after 20 refills.

• The type of washing (hot vs cold) had minimal influence on total impact (only about 18% variation after first refills).

• Ecodesign tip: Choose washing method based on hygiene and formulation requirements, not environmental considerations.

This shows that return and refill systems at the point of sale can yield significant benefits, especially when packaging is reused multiple times and logistics are optimised.

Case Study 2 – Refill at POS (Glass Jar, 50 ml)

In this model, consumers bring an empty glass jar back to a refill station located in stores.

Findings:

• Impact reduction: approximately 52% compared with a single-use jar after several refills.

• The refill-at-store model offers an immediate environmental benefit but requires stringent prerequisites such as controlled hygiene conditions, refill station maintenance, and consumer education.

• Microbiological safety and regulatory compliance are critical success factors.

Ecodesign tip: Develop durable and easy-to-clean containers, and standardise refill systems for different product categories.

Case Study 3 – Refill at Home (Plastic Tube, 250 ml)

This model examined a refill-at-home system, where consumers purchase a refill pack to top up a reusable container.

Findings:

• Compared with single-use packaging, the environmental impact was reduced by 59% when the refill pouch replaced multiple single-use tubes.

• The main environmental gains came from the reduction in virgin plastic and lower transport-related emissionsdue to lighter packaging.

• Key challenges included microbiological risks and consumer convenience, requiring strong design and communication strategies to ensure correct use.

Ecodesign tip: Focus on refill pack light weighting, material compatibility, and ensuring safe and hygienic product transfer at home.

Key Takeaways

• Reuse models show clear environmental benefits, but the scale of impact reduction depends on the number of use cycles and system efficiency.

• Design for reuse is critical — lighter packaging with lower material impact amplifies benefits from each reuse.

• Refill-at-home and refill-at-POS models show the fastest environmental returns.

• Return systems require strong logistics and reverse collection systems but remain promising for high-value packaging like glass perfume bottles.

• Benefits for reuse is between 3 and 5 times, after that it reaches a plato.

• Collaboration across brands, retailers, and regulators is essential to harmonise standards, ensure hygiene, and engage consumers.

  

Conclusion

L’Oréal’s case studies demonstrate that refill and reuse systems are technically feasible and environmentally beneficial when supported by robust design, clear consumer guidance, and harmonised methodologies.

Through SPICE, the company is contributing to a shared industry framework that will help make reuse systems scalable — not just for cosmetics, but for the broader fast-moving consumer goods sector. If you need support navigating the best alternative to your product, reach out, we would love to support you in this journey.