It's Earth Month, which means time for The Body Shop to do something big—since it is known as an activist beauty retailer. (The Body Shop's parent company is Natura & Co.)

To reduce plastic use and take action against the global plastic crisis, The Body Shop's refill stations will debut in its stores across the U.S. By the end of 2022, the retailer aims to offer in-store refill in 49% of its U.S. stores.

Last April, The Body Shop launched refill stations in 400 stores globally.

The retailer has also announced a new five-year plan to roll out refill stations in the majority of its stores globally—to become the most sustainable business possible. 

Hilary Lloyd, vice president of marketing and values, North America, comments:

"The foundation of The Body Shop's environmental activism was born out of ideas like these, when our founder, Dame Anita Roddick, refilled her first bottle out of necessity in 1976. Our customers have been eagerly awaiting for refills to return...We're thrilled to be embracing a circular economy approach and provide this sustainable alternative."

Every year, the beauty sector generates billions of pieces of plastic that end up in landfills or the ocean. With the crucial help of The Body Shop customers, every individual can help drive change. "Every bottle counts," the retailer states.

The Body Shop's Refills Have Already Saved Over 3.7 Tons of Plastic 

When The Body Shop announced the rollout of refill stations across 400 stores globally in April 2021, the brand collectively saved over 3.7 tons of plastic, equivalent to 170,000 plastic bottles.

Another 400 refill stations are planned for 2022, to save 25 tons of plastic and help to prevent up to five pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.

By the end of 2022, The Body Shop will have refill stations present in about half of its store locations across the country including Austin, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, and more.

The easy-to-use in-store refill stations allow customers to refill their favorite body, hair and hand care products including shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, and hand washes. The selection of available products will vary from six to twelve depending on store size.

Partnering with a Chocolatier to Promote Refills & Celebrate Earth Month

In celebration of the Refill Program and Earth Month, The Body Shop is teaming up with ethical chocolatier Tony's Chocolonely, to bring the call for climate action to the streets of New York City. Together, the two B Corp certified brands will raise awareness and collect signatures for the "FOREST" Act to stop illegal deforestation and slow climate change.

Tony's Chocolonely iconic "Choco" cart will be parked outside two of The Body Shop's store locations—and there are Facebook event invites for its NoHo store on Friday, April 8th, and Rockefeller Center location on Friday, April 15th.

The brand's refillable aluminum bottles and a limited-edition Tony's Chocolonely chocolate bar will be distributed to event attendees while quantities last.