Welcome to the Bio-D blog page. To enhance your reading experience, our blog has been organised into categories. Company News provides updates on developments at Bio-D, offering insights into the latest happenings and behind-the-scenes stories. Hints & Tips deliver practical advice on sustainable living and adopting eco-friendly practices. Finally, Products & Ingredients reveal the story behind Bio-D’s products, highlighting their ingredients and contribution to a greener world.
Over 20,000 20L Containers Returned – A Year of Impact with Bio-D’s Closed Loop System
At Bio-D, we’ve always believed that real sustainability is about long-term systems, not short-term fixes. That’s why, back in 2021, we launched our Closed Loop system, a circular model that allows customers to return used 20L containers so they can be cleaned, refilled, and reused.
Now, just a few years in, we’re proud to share an exciting milestone: over 20,000 of our 20L containers have been returned and reprocessed through this system.
Even more impressively, we’ve doubled our total in just over a year, we reached 10,000 returns in June 2024, and now, by June 2025, we’ve hit 20,000. That’s a clear signal that more of our community is getting behind this initiative, from individual customers and families to eco-conscious businesses and national stockists.
Lloyd Atkin, Managing Director of Bio-D, says: “To double our Closed Loop returns in just over a year is a phenomenal achievement. It shows how committed our customers and partners are to reducing waste, and how quickly positive change can scale when systems are easy and accessible. This milestone proves that sustainability doesn’t have to be difficult, it just needs the right approach, and a community willing to get involved.”
The Power of a Simple, Free and Circular System
At the heart of our Closed Loop model is simplicity. Whether you’re a home user, a retailer, or a commercial cleaner, returning your empty 20L containers is quick, easy, and completely free.
This is what circular packaging should look like: minimal effort, maximum impact.
And while many brands offer refills or take backs, our process is designed to go further. It’s not just about reuse; it’s about real accountability. Every returned container is tracked. Every reused unit replaces the need to manufacture a new one. And the environmental benefit of that adds up quickly.
A Year of Momentum
Hitting the 10,000 mark last summer felt like a major success. But to have doubled that figure in just over 12 months is incredible. It tells us that:
This rapid growth reflects what’s possible when a community pulls in the same direction. We’re not just returning packaging, we’re showing what fast, collective action on sustainability can look like.
Why Fragrance Free Matters
One of the most important elements of our Closed Loop process is how we handle Fragrance Free products.
Many of our customers choose Bio-D because of allergies, asthma, skin conditions, or simply a preference for cleaner formulations. So, we’ve built specific safeguards into the return process:
This level of care helps us serve our community better and proves that circular systems can work without compromising on safety or quality.
Behind the Scenes: The Team Making It Happen
A system like this doesn’t run itself, it takes a coordinated, passionate effort from across our team.
Our logistics team plan return routes to make pickups efficient and carbon conscious. Our production crew carefully clean, dry, and inspect every returned container to ensure it’s suitable for reuse. And our sustainability team work hard to track, report, and improve the process as we scale.
“It’s one of those processes where every hand matters,” says Heather Nixon, Sustainability Manager at Bio-D. “The team’s attention to detail, from ensuring labels are intact to making sure every container is clean and safe, is what allows us to offer a circular system we’re genuinely proud of.”
Measuring What Matters
Unlike some take-back schemes, we don’t just run the system quietly, we track the numbers and publish the results. That’s how we know when we reach key milestones, and it’s why this 20,000 mark means so much.
Each returned container represents:
Transparency is key to building trust and momentum and we’re committed to continuing to share these figures as they grow.
Our Customers Are the Real Drivers
We can’t celebrate this milestone without thanking the people who made it possible: you.
Your commitment to returning containers. Your conversations with customers about sustainable solutions. Your participation in circular thinking. Every returned container is a small decision that adds up to a much bigger impact.
To our stockists and independent refill stores, thank you for being such passionate advocates for reuse. To the businesses and hospitality providers who return containers by the pallet, your scale makes a difference. And to every family that drops off a couple of empties, you’re part of this too.
Want to Join the Loop? It’s Easy.
If you’ve yet to take part in our Closed Loop system, there’s no better time to start. It’s completely free, accessible across the UK, and takes just a few simple steps.
Learn how to return your 20L’s here
Together, we can keep reducing waste, cutting emissions, and showing that sustainability doesn’t have to be complicated.
Let’s Keep the Loop Going — Together.
As we celebrate the 20,000 milestone, we’re reminded this is only the beginning. With every return, we move closer to a circular future where waste is designed out, not just managed.
Let’s keep that momentum going and double it again.
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