In July 2026, L’Oréal Malaysia recently reported a 34% increase in global refill sales between 2024 and 2026, reflecting years of investment in packaging innovation, manufacturing, and consumer education. Nowadays, several brands are focusing on sustainability adoption to cater to their consumers' needs and hence are avoiding traditional packaging practices for their products.
In Malaysia, those efforts are reflected in the 2026 Join the Refill Movement, which brings together seven brands across three business divisions and marks the country’s largest participation in the campaign to date. Natasha Karim, Sustainability Lead at L’Oréal Malaysia, said the company’s refill strategy is part of a broader business transformation rather than a standalone sustainability campaign.
“Business performance and environmental impact are connected. Sustainability is no longer something that sits separately from the business—it is part of how we operate,” she said.
Importance of a Circular Business Model
The Refill Movement is one part of L’Oréal’s wider L’Oréal for the Future sustainability programme, launched in 2020. The Group has committed to reducing packaging intensity by 20% by 2030, cutting virgin plastic use by half, and sourcing 50% of its packaging materials from recycled or bio-based sources.
According to the company, 44% of its packaging materials already come from recycled or bio-based origins, while its range of refillable products has grown 3.7 times since 2019. The well-renowned beauty brand didn’t restrict its sustainable packaging to a niche product category, but it expanded itself by providing sustainable packaging to its various product categories, such as luxury fragrances, dermatological skincare, professional haircare, and other consumer beauty products.
According to Natasha, increasing product visibility has become a key focus of the campaign. “The challenge is no longer whether refill products exist,” she stated. “It’s making sure consumers know where to find them.”
The global consumer research stated that the well-renowned beauty brand stated 84% of its customers want to make more responsible decisions. On the other hand, 42% customers were unaware of the brand’s refillable options, and 43% mentioned that they were unable to spot refill products on the store shelves. Instead of limiting the refill option to the flagship stores, L’Oréal has made them available through stores such as Sephora, Watsons, Guardian, Lazada, and its own online platform as well.
L’Oréal is also focusing on providing clear material reduction stats to maintain complete transparency with their customers and maintain their decades of trust. Instead of simply marketing products as environmentally friendly, the brand is presenting product-specific data on its refill packages to show the reduction in materials used. For example, a La Roche-Posay refill uses 73% less plastic than purchasing a new bottle. In comparison, a Lancôme La Vie Est Belle refill reduces glass by 74%, plastic by 63%, and metal by 100%.
Natasha said measurable data is important because consumers increasingly expect evidence to support sustainability claims rather than broad environmental messaging.
Aside from its investment towards sustainability, the company has committed €100 million through its L’AcceleratOR programme, which began in April 2025, to develop new packaging technologies, including bio-based plastics, seaweed-derived materials, and recyclable paper bottles.
Malaysia also has a major role in the company’s broader circular economy ambitions. In 2025, L’Oréal Malaysia became the first beauty company in the country to be recognised by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) as an Early Adopter of Voluntary Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), recognising its efforts to support recycling infrastructure beyond its own operations.
While the Refill Movement is designed to encourage consumers to adopt refillable products, Natasha believes its broader significance lies in changing how sustainability is integrated into business.
“What we’re seeing is that sustainability and business performance are no longer separate conversations,” she stated. “For us, they need to move together.”
Along with enhancing the quantity of refillable products in multiple brands of Malaysia, the brand is assuring that circular beauty can become part of mainstream consumer behavior rather than a niche sustainability initiative.
L'Oréal proudly offers sustainable refillable product options to its customers in haircare, skincare, and even for luxury fragrances as a part of the global #JoinTheRefillMovement campaign. The refill pouch and pod systems provided by the brand help to cut down on the usage of excess plastic, glass, and metal waste, along with offering the same formulas at a lower cost over time. Such initiatives also help the brand to lessen the packaging weight by 70%-80%.
31 July 2026
30 July 2026
30 July 2026
30 July 2026