A new survey from the British Beauty Council and discount platform UNiDAYS has mapped Gen Z attitudes toward sustainable beauty, polling 3,533 UK students in early January 2026. The findings paint a picture of a generation that cares about sustainability but faces practical barriers to acting on it — with price, unclear labelling, and limited refill options topping the list.
What the survey found
Sustainability is a meaningful factor in Gen Z beauty purchases. 43% of students rated it "extremely" or "very" important, with another 41% calling it "somewhat" important, and 80% said they actively seek out sustainable brands when shopping.
But that interest comes with scrutiny — 63% said they'd be more likely to trust a brand whose sustainability claims were verified by an independent third party.
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Recycling behaviour is widespread but not universal: 56% of respondents say they always recycle their beauty empties, and 27% sometimes do. But a notable 26% remain unaware that most beauty packaging can be recycled at all.
Incentives could also help encourage sustainable shopping, with 86% of respondents saying they would be encouraged to buy more sustainably if offered discounts, loyalty points, or store credit in return.
The Great British Beauty Clean Up
The research serves as the foundation for the British Beauty Council's annual Great British Beauty Clean Up campaign, which runs throughout March, timed to Global Recycling Day (March 18) and the UN International Day of Zero Waste (March 30).
This year's campaign introduces a co-branded recycling box developed with waste management company MYGroup, designed to collect hard-to-recycle items — compacts, mascara tubes, pumps, and hazardous materials like used hair foils — and divert them from landfill.
"Empties are often hard to recycle and even more difficult to repurpose, so what's better than this easy solution," said Millie Kendall OBE, CEO of the British Beauty Council. "Not only will they take back your empties, but they'll be repurposed into usable items, such as school furniture."
Brands and operators can find participation details at britishbeautycouncil.com.
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