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Boots Rolls out National Blister Pack Recycling Scheme

11 February 2025
News CSR
  • Recycling scheme for all medicine and vitamin blister packaging expanded to over 800 stores across the UK in response to customer demand 
  • Customers are rewarded with 100 Boots Advantage Card points each time they deposit five empty blister packs for recycling* 
  • Empty blister packs will be recycled into playground equipment and furniture  

Boots has rolled out a scheme nationwide that rewards customers for recycling their empty blister packs following a popular regional pilot.  

The blister pack recycling scheme is now available at over 800 stores across the UK after 170,000 customers signed up to a pilot of the scheme in London and the Southeast last year.    All blister packs, whether previously used to hold medications or vitamins, and no matter which brand, can be recycled through the scheme. Boots Advantage Card members nationwide can now earn 100 points (worth £1) for every five empty blister packs when they drop them off at a participating Boots store and spend £5 or more. 

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.” 

Image of hand placing an empty baby wipe packet into a Boots recycling bin

Blister packs, commonly used for vitamins and medicines, are made of plastic and foil and cannot typically be recycled through household kerbside collections. The new blister pack recycling scheme is part of the wider Recycle at Boots initiative, which is delivered using technology partner Metrisk and recycling partner MYGroup.  

The Recycle at Boots initiative is brand agnostic, meaning that customers can recycle empty blister packs and other hard to recycle empties from any brand and track their recycling, as long as they have a Boots Advantage Card. To recycle blister packs and get rewarded for it at the same time, customers need to: 

  1. Register and opt in by downloading the Recycle at Boots App  
  2. Log empty blister packs in the app and wait for up to 24 hours until they are validated 
  3. Bring their empty packs into a participating Boots store and scan the QR code on the blister pack deposit box 

To receive a reward of 100 Advantage Card points, customers need to recycle five empty blister packs in one deposit and spend £5 in-store. If they are depositing other hard-to-recycle health and beauty empties through the Recycle at Boots app, they will be rewarded 500 Boots Advantage Card points when they deposit five products and spend £10 in-store. 

After the blister packs or health and beauty empties have been dropped off at Boots stores, they are sent to MYGroup, who separate the plastic and the foil. The recycled foil can be immediately re-used, while MYGroup turn the recycled plastic into a material called MYBoardTM, which has a wide range of uses such as playground equipment, furniture, and construction materials.  

Find your nearest Blister Pack Recycling store through the Boots Store Locator.  

Use our handy recycling guide here:

Illustration in pie chart shape sharing three ways to recycle and get rewarded at Boots

Find out more about how Boots is taking steps to reduce its impact on the environment – or it’s ‘Bootprint’. 

*Earn 100 points when you spend £5 or more, when recycling a minimum of five empty blister packs through the Boots Scan2recycle app. Full terms & conditions can be viewed on boots.scan2recycle.com/terms. Normal Advantage Card terms & conditions apply.  

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About Boots: 

Boots is the UK’s leading health and beauty retailer with over 51,000 team members and over 1,800 stores, ranging from local community pharmacies to large destination health and beauty destinations.* 

Boots serves its customers and patients for life as the leading provider of healthcare on the high street and the UK’s number one beauty destination. It offers an unrivalled depth and breadth of products, which incorporates its extensive own brand range and innovative portfolio of brands, including No7, the UK’s No1 skincare brand, Soap & Glory, Liz Earle Beauty and Sleek MakeUP.  

Boots is part of Walgreens Boots Alliance, which is a global leader in pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing retail.  More company information is available on boots-uk.com

*Figures accurate as of 30 November 2024