// Selfridges removes all single-use beauty wipes from sale and usage in its beauty halls
// Plastic-based cloths replaced with recyclable or re-usable alternatives
// Selfridges says 20% of consumers use beauty wipes at least once a day
Selfridges has removed all single-use beauty wipes from sale and usage in its beauty halls and replaced plastic-based cloths with recyclable or re-usable alternatives.
The luxury department store’s latest sustainability commitment comes after a survey it conducted that 20 per cent of consumers use beauty wipes at least once a day.
Selfridge’s survey added that 35 per cent of those consumers considered single-use beauty wipes a necessity to their beauty regime, while 13 per cent of consumers flush single-use wipes down the toilet.
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It also found that less than a fifth – or 19 per cent – of consumers knew that, according to research from Middlesex University, it could take 100 years for plastic-based single-use wipes to fully degrade,
With £94.8 million worth of wipes used in the beauty industry every year, Selfridges said the latest move reinforces its commitment to tackle the issue of ocean plastics since the launch of its Project Ocean campaign almost a decade ago.
“Single-use beauty wipes have been a staple of many beauty drawers, but they are incredibly harmful to the environment,” Selfridges director of sustainability Daniella Vega said.
“During a recent Selfridges team beach clean, we saw first-hand the impact they have on our waterways and beaches and we were even more motivated to remove them from our stores.
“We’re proud to have made this commitment and to continue our legacy as a leader in the industry when it comes to our sustainability initiatives.”
Industry experts have been calling for the removal of the harmful wipes for some time.
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) believes that beauty wipes have a damaging impact on habitats and wildlife, and are contributing to the wider problem of ocean plastic.
“We are delighted that Selfridges has taken this bold decision to remove these beauty wipes from sale, as part of a wider commitment to tackling ocean plastic pollution at source, alongside our ongoing work together on the #OneLess campaign,” ZSL senior marine project manager Fiona Llewellyn said.
Selfridges is offering its customer of choice of alternatives to single-use beauty wipes.
These include Face Halo, a make-up remover that quickly removes beauty products using water only and is non-toxic and reusable – and can replace up to 500 single-use wipes.
Meanwhile the Sarah Chapman Professional Cleansing Mitts are reusable mitts that removes cleansers, make-up and grime, and the reusable cloths found in the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Cloths packages.
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