Boots blister pack recycling: chemist launches UK scheme at stores, how to make money from it - and app

• Boots has launched a nationwide recycling scheme for empty blister packs across 800+ stores
• Customers can earn 100 Advantage Card points (worth £1) for every five blister packs returned
• The initiative helps recycle blister packs, turning them into materials like playground equipment and furniture
• Other everyday items, such as batteries and beauty packaging, can also be recycled at selected Boots locations
• To participate, download the Recycle at Boots app, log your items, and deposit them in-store for rewards

A major high street health and beauty retailer is launching a nationwide recycling initiative across more than 800 UK stores - and you can earn money from it.

Boots is launching a scheme allowing customers to recycle blister packs - the packaging commonly used for over-the-counter medications - driven by customer demand.

Because blister packs are made from both plastic and foil, they are difficult to process for recycling, and are often instead sent to landfill or incineration - they are not usually accepted in household kerbside recycling collections.

But as part of Boots’ new scheme, once customers drop off their empty blister packs or other health and beauty containers, they are sent to MYGroup for processing, where the plastic and foil are separated.

The recycled foil is ready for immediate reuse, while the recycled plastic is transformed into MYBoard – a versatile material used in products like playground equipment, furniture, and construction materials.

How does the scheme work?

Customers can now recycle blister packs of any brand, and those with a Boots Advantage Card will earn 100 points (equivalent to £1) for every five empty blister packs they return in one drop, provided they make a purchase of £5 or more in-store.

To begin, sign up and opt in by downloading the Recycle at Boots app. Then, use the scan2recycle feature in the app to log your empty items. Once you've had 15 items approved, visit a store and scan the bin to make your deposit.

Candice Smith, from 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 blister packs take on a new life as playground equipment and furniture.”

Boots joins other retailers including Superdrug and Aldi in running blister pack recycling initiatives.

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In addition to being one of the few places in the UK where you can recycle empty medicine and vitamin blister packs, selected Boots stores also offer recycling for a range of other everyday items.

These include batteries, contact lenses, insulin pens, and beauty, wellness, and dental packaging.

Is the blister pack recycling scheme available at my local Boots?

While Boots is launching its blister pack recycling scheme nationwide across over 800 stores, considering the fact it currently operates around 2,200 UK outlets, there’s a chance the scheme might not be available at your local store.

To find your nearest participating store, head to Boots’ online store locator.

Ready to start recycling and earning rewards at Boots? Let us know your thoughts on the new scheme in the comments section.