Lottie London campaigns to fight ‘hygiene poverty’

30-May-2024 - Last updated on 31-May-2024 at 15:45 GMT

In June, the brand will donate 10% of sales from its new Lottie London x Outer Banks Endless Summer Collection – created in collaboration with the Netflix show – to Toiletries Amnesty

In a bid to build more awareness that a growing number of people don’t have access to personal care products, cosmetics brand Lottie London has partnered with Toiletries Amnesty – an organisation working to end hygiene poverty and divert beauty industry waste.

In its new campaign entitled ‘Treasure me, don't trash me’, the UK-based beauty brand, which is aimed at a Generation Z demographic, has highlighted the results of a survey undertaken in the UK between June – December 2022.

This research found that 9% of people described themselves as ‘currently living in hygiene poverty’, while 29% said they had struggled to access hygiene essentials at some point in their lives.

Based on this, the Lottie London team wanted to encourage its community to think about what they wanted to do with any unwanted beauty or personal care products, from both a humanitarian and environmental point of view.

As a start, the brand polled 260 of its Instagram followers (in May 2024) to find out what they currently did with excess or unwanted makeup and hygiene products.

Over one-third (32%) said they threw these products away, while 66% said they didn't know that there was an option to recirculate them.

Lottie London is now encouraging its customers to donate any unwanted beauty and personal care products to Toiletries Amnesty, either through a drop-off service or via the post.

Plus, throughout the month of June, the brand will donate 10% of all sales from its new Lottie London x Outer Banks Endless Summer Collection – created in collaboration with the Netflix show – to Toiletries Amnesty, to support its efforts to combat hygiene poverty.

Sparking a "lack of confidence"

Lottie London’s CEO, Charlotte Knight, commented on the new initiative: “When I read that a lack of confidence was one of the worst things that 66% of people in Toiletries Amnesty's survey felt about experiencing hygiene poverty, I knew we had to help.”

“We are so proud to team up with this amazing NGO and work to build awareness of what we can do to bring an end to hygiene poverty.”

Toiletries Amnesty itself supports over 800 locations and in 2023 the NGO provided access to toiletries and hygiene products for four million people around the world.

The organisation mainly works to support homeless shelters and hostels, women’s refuges, mental health services, end-of-life care hospices, food banks, NHS Trust services, refugee support services, LGBTQ+ groups, prison services, children’s centres, young people’s services, schools, colleges, community groups, and any other organisations that needs its help.

Founder of the NGO, Karen Harvey, said that teaming up with Lottie London and Netflix gives it an exciting opportunity “to reach new audiences and let them know how they can help end hygiene poverty with Toiletries Amnesty.”

“Last year we supported over four million people through our NGO,” continued Harvey.

“With thanks to Lottie London, this year we know we can help even more people, whilst stopping more beauty waste going to landfill, and having a positive impact on the environment too.”