SHOPPERS keen to do their bit for the environment are being asked to make sustainable switches to their everyday routines this month.

Merry Hill’s Sarah Dodds has shared some simple tips for shoppers to try during their next visit to the centre – from recycling unwanted clothes to trying refillable beauty - as part of plans to focus on sustainability in 2022.

Sarah, the shopping centre's assistant marketing manager, said: "At Merry Hill, we know it’s important for our customers to feel they can do their part.

"During January, we’re focusing on our picks of the best sustainable products available for our visitors, so you can rest assured you’re making purchases that are better for you and for the planet. From recycling unwanted clothes to bringing your own shopping bag, even the smallest of changes add up to make a real difference and give you great peace of mind.

"Many of the centre brands offer easy ways to help you shop smarter when it comes to sustainability. For example, clothes recycling programs are available in our Primark, H&M and M&S stores. Simply return any old or unwanted garments in store and they’ll be given a new lease of life – whether resold as used or broken down to create recycled materials. H&M members and M&S customers can also collect rewards each time they recycle, with loyalty points and vouchers available.

"You can do the same for some of our beauty brands too. Boots, The Body Shop and Lush offer in-store recycling drop-offs. At Lush, customers will receive 50p towards their shopping for each item recycled in-store, and in return for five empties shoppers will also be treated to a free fresh face mask.

To help shoppers make some simple sustainable switches, Sarah has pulled together a list of swaps for people to try:

1. Consider packaging-free haircare

Lush sells solid bars to replace traditional bottled shampoo. The highly concentrated bars are plastic-free and self- preserving, with each lasting for around 80 uses.

Priced £9 and packed with natural ingredients, one bar can replace three 250g bottles of liquid shampoo.

2. Search for eco-friendly selfcare

Try Primark’s Wellness Collection, which features 80 eco-conscious products across womenswear, menswear, homeware and skincare – all made using sustainable materials.

Priced from £2, the range aims to encourage personal wellbeing, including sportswear made from recycled fabrics, cruelty-free beauty, soy wax blend candles and sustainable cotton and linen bedding.

3. Look out for recycled materials

Choose clothing made from sustainable materials.

H&M stocks a ‘Conscious’ clothing line across all departments, with each product containing at least 50 per cent sustainable materials, like organic cotton or recycled polyester. Points can be collected with every purchase of a Conscious item – look for the green tag on garments in-store.

And for little ones, H&M’s latest children’s collection, bottle2fashion, transforms plastic bottle waste from across the islands of Indonesia into recycled polyester.

4. Give refillable beauty a go

Reuse packaging to reduce waste when purchasing beauty products. The Body Shop has an in-store refill station, where aluminium bottles can be purchased and filled with the haircare, shower gel or hand wash of choice. Once empty, simply bring back a clean, dry bottle to refill.

5. Bring your own bag

One of the easiest ways people can shop more sustainably is to bring their own bags. In some stores, such as H&M, offer points to those who remembered to bring their own bag.

Plenty of stores stock reusable shopping totes, such as the Fairtrade cotton bag from Lush, which also supports women in India by offering training and employment handcrafting sustainable textile products.