Global Retailer Cuts Virgin Plastic 21% by 2030

When the world's biggest health and beauty retailer announces a major environmental commitment, millions of shopping bags and product packages are about to change for the better.

AS Watson, which operates Watsons stores and other brands in dozens of countries, pledged to reduce virgin plastic in its packaging by 21 percent by 2030. The target covers everything from product packaging to shopping bags to online delivery materials across all its global operations.

The company isn't waiting until 2030 to start making changes. In China, Watsons removed plastic windows from hand cream gift boxes and switched plastic trays to paper versions, saving over 7.5 tons of plastic. In Europe, Superdrug redesigned its skincare line with fully recyclable cartons containing at least 30 percent recycled plastic.

Filipino shoppers are seeing the shift too. Watsons Philippines is replacing plastic bags with paper ones and expanding "Recycle for Rewards" bins where customers can return empty personal care bottles. The stores are also promoting refill packs and reusable products through their app, making sustainable choices easier for everyday shoppers.

The Ripple Effect

AS Watson's chief sustainability officer Sebastien Pivet calls plastic waste "one of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time." When a retailer serving millions of customers worldwide commits to change, the impact multiplies quickly.

The company is pushing beyond its own operations too. AS Watson is calling on other businesses, suppliers, and industry competitors to join the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's 2030 Plastics Agenda, a global effort to scale up circular packaging solutions and reduce plastic waste across entire supply chains.

For shoppers in the Philippines and around the world, these changes mean more paper bags, more refill options, and more packaging that can actually be recycled instead of ending up in landfills or oceans. Every product redesign and every plastic window removed adds up to tons of waste prevented.

The shift represents what happens when a major corporation with a 185-year history decides to prioritize measurable environmental action over business as usual.