Lucie Perrin, Senior Consultant at Circul’R, led the discussions to review consumer acceptance, the robustness of the logistics loop, and the limitations of working in coalition.
She was joined by Pauline de Rodellec, CSR Director at Diptyque, Laure-Anne Dumas, CSR Director at La Rosée, Hélène Villecroze, Product Sustainability Lead at Chanel Parfums Beauté, and Alice André, Impact Manager at Yves Rocher.

Strong intentions… and mixed results

In principle, there is no debate about supporting the deposit system. Laure-Anne Dumas refers to a study conducted during the trial. “More than 800 people responded. 95% of respondents said they were willing to return their containers. 76% said that the deposit would encourage them to repurchase the product rather than a non-reusable equivalent.”
However, the return rates observed differ depending on the channel. In pharmacies, La Rosée recorded “around 8%.” In integrated networks that continued the trial, such as Yves Rocher and Aroma-Zone, the rate reached “19%, with an increase over the months.”
Laure-Anne Dumas explains that the time factor is crucial to the success of the deposit system. “The experiment is a long one. Consumers need to be given time to finish their products. Visibility at the point of sale also plays a key role. After six months, more than one in two consumers in pharmacies were unaware of the deposit system in place.”

At Diptyque, Pauline de Rodellec emphasizes the importance of mobilizing store teams. Dedicated training, appointment of a reuse ambassador per store, internal competitions. As a result, “the brand collected around two and a half times its initial target for bottles.”

In the selective distribution channel, the exercise proved more difficult. Hélène Villecroze mentions “a return rate of around 1%.” Beyond incentives, the question is one of messaging. “We need to find a way to make this experience desirable and associate it with the codes of luxury.”

Focus on the logistics loop

Containers returned to stores are sorted, sent to a washing facility, and then returned to the brands.
At Chanel, “we see environmental benefits from the very first reuse cycle.”
At Yves Rocher, the results become favorable after the second reuse cycle. But these results depend on several factors, particularly volume. “We had to reach a minimum volume and return rate to offset the impact of transportation,” explains Alice André.

From a technical standpoint, glass appears to be particularly well suited. The main points of concern relate to the durability of decorations, particularly on aluminum or lacquered containers, which are subject to friction throughout the cycle.

One for all, all for one!

The speakers also shared their feedback on working together in what is nevertheless a highly competitive sector.
For Chanel, the coalition made it possible to “share and compare ideas and engage in direct dialogue with distributors.”
For Diptyque, “the collective facilitated internal conviction by showing that the deposit system is not just a new idea from the CSR team, but a sector-wide movement.”
At Yves Rocher, the initiative was a real catalyst internally.

In conclusion, Lucie Perrin emphasizes the collective dimension of the project. “Bringing stakeholders together is essential in this type of initiative. It allows us to pool resources, share key lessons learned, and have greater impact, not only in the eyes of consumers, but also internally. We need to democratize this practice, bring brands together, and get as many on board as possible to have a bigger impact on the industry.”