Every store has to write off some damaged or expired goods during the course of business. However, many take it too far by throwing out perfectly good items that have gone unsold. The worst variation of this tactic is asking employees to destroy items before throwing them away, ensuring no one can ever use them — as appears to be the case in a recent TikTok video.
What's happening?
The story comes from TikToker Joanna Contreras (@jo.annas). In another recent video, she identified herself as an employee at Ulta Beauty. Contreras posted a clip recently showing what she described as the "most heartbreaking part of my job."
@jo.annas Destroying products #dumpsterdiving #cosmetic #bareminerals ♬ american boy - ༺ 00s throwbacks ༻
In the video, Contreras has a basket full of bareMinerals beauty products, including foundation and blush. On the orders of her employer, she opens each package and uses a sharp piece of glass or clear plastic to dig out the makeup, dumping it all into a second basket when she's finished.
"I physically wouldn't be able to," one commenter said.
"Now that I'm into makeup, girl, I cry," Contreras replied.
Ulta has been frequently called out for this practice, but it's far from the first company to destroy products. While some of the items were listed as testers, meaning they were probably being discarded for sanitary reasons, many companies damage discarded products to keep anyone from getting them for free.
Why is this destruction significant?
While a few packages of makeup are a tiny part of the waste going to landfills, the impact of this widespread practice across industries and throughout the world is much larger. Dumpsters fill with waste, while all the materials, time, and energy that went into producing these items are lost.
For businesses, this drives up costs, which results in raised prices for consumers.
For the planet, the extra pollution, water use, and activities such as mining for materials all damage the environment.
Is Ulta doing anything about this?
According to the company's 2023 environment, social, and governance report, Ulta is striving to throw out fewer products.
"We're addressing these dynamics and minimizing waste in a variety of ways," the company claims. "For example, we are improving our forecasting capabilities and working with partners to design packaging that minimizes the risk of product damage and determine more sustainable approaches for handling unsold products. For example, many products can be donated rather than being sent to a landfill."
However, not everything can be donated — so items are destroyed. The company also says damaged, used, or expired items are unable to be sold for quality control reasons.
What can I do about wasted beauty products?
You can cut down on your beauty budget and make sure less plastic goes to the landfill by using every bit of the things you buy. Cut open large bottles, or use a tool to scrape the last bit out of smaller tubes.
Also, choose makeup brands that minimize waste and strive for eco-friendly packaging.
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