The consumer demand for sustainable products is increasing each day. According to the Commerce Shortfall Report, customers are 70% more likely to buy a product if it is recyclable, and 71% more likely to buy a product if it is reusable. This has led to a diverse range of offerings from brands and retailers, including H Beauty's product repurposing program and Unilever's product refill system. Such initiatives have found that 94% of consumers in the UK are more likely to invest in refills compared to buying new products in-store if the option is available. Further advocating to make refillable beauty the new normal, The Perfume Shop and L'Oréal have introduced the UK's first multi-brand fragrance refill station.
The new service will first launch in The Perfume Shop's Nottingham store and allow for the refills of eight well-known fragrances: YSL MYSLF Eau de Parfum, Prada Paradoxe Eau de Parfum, Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Eau de Parfum, Mugler Alien Eau de Parfum, Armani Code Eau de Toilette, Armani Si Intense Eau de Parfum, Armani My Way Eau de Parfum, and Mugler Angel Eau de Parfum.
Consumers wishing to use the service can refill all-size bottles from 30ml upwards, which The Perfume Shop claims will help them save up to 35% of their money compared to a new purchase. Recycle bins are also available for those who wish to discard old packaging in a more ethically minded way.
"We're delighted to be introducing the UK's first multi-brand fragrance refill station, especially in the thriving Nottingham store," says Gill Smith, Managing Director at The Perfume Shop. "Sustainability is so important to us as a business, and we know that fragrance is leading innovation in the market for refillable prestige beauty products, so this couldn't come at a better time for our loyal customers. We can't wait to see where this partnership with L'Oréal goes in the future."
The refill station comes at a time when consumers are becoming more open to layering fragrances instead of sticking to one, and respected brands such as Tory Burch are launching products specific to this perfume practice. The new activation is sure to be welcomed by many sustainability-seeking consumers, as it is reported by The Perfume Shop that refillable fragrances have seen a 23% growth rate in recent times compared to a smaller 9% rise in non-refillable fragrances. Refillable prestige beauty as a whole has seen a surge, with a 47% increase in sales last year, which left the market valued at £34 million.
"Sustainability is at the heart of our business, and so we are thrilled to be able to partner with The Perfume Shop on this flagship refillable concept. This innovation is an important step in making refills accessible both in store with our multi-brand fountain, and at home with our strong portfolio of refill cartridges. Our luxury refillable fragrances don't just benefit the environment but also our consumers, because the more they refill their fragrances, the more money they save too,” concludes James Rickards, Managing Director of L'Oréal Luxe UK & Ireland.
