L'Occitane Malaysia Sdn Bhd wins for luxury retail and sustainability at Retail Asia Awards 2026

The retailer advanced circular beauty through nationwide recycling and sustainability-focused retail experiences.

L'Occitane Malaysia Sdn Bhd won accolades in the Luxury & Premium Retail Brand of the Year - Malaysia and Sustainability Initiative of the Year - Malaysia categories at the Retail Asia Awards 2026 for its Ocean or Plastic Roadshow and BIG Little Things Recycling Program, two initiatives that linked retail engagement with recycling, refill adoption, and consumer education on plastic waste.

Mall activations centred on circular beauty

L'Occitane Malaysia Sdn Bhd launched the Ocean or Plastic Roadshow in 2025 to address plastic waste through in-person retail activations. The roadshow ran across four major sites in Malaysia and used mall spaces as public education points for recycling, refill use, and packaging recovery.

Six stations formed the customer journey. These covered plastic pollution, BIG Little Things recycling, skin consultations, almond product use, hair diagnosis, and redemption activities. At the recycling station, customers were shown how returned empties were sorted, cleaned, melted, and made into items such as marine-themed phone charms.

The roadshow reached 15,148 customers and brought in 1,819 new customers. Brand search rose by 17.8 points during the campaign period. Refill quantities sold increased 2.6% year to date, whilst BIG Little Things membership grew 2.2%.

Recycling beauty empties through retail stores

L'Occitane Malaysia Sdn Bhd started BIG Little Things in 2019 to collect used beauty packaging through its store network. The programme accepts empties from any brand. Customers can return packaging at boutique drop-off points, where beauty hosts guide participation before materials are handled by recycling and processing partners.

As of February 2026, BIG Little Things had recorded 104,642 participants and 7.1 million beauty empties collected. Waste diverted from landfill reached 409 tonnes, with about 209,970 kg of CO₂ emissions avoided.

Some recovered plastics were used for new event materials. The Race for Vision Charity Fun Run medals were made from 75 kg of recycled plastic, whilst Ocean Buddy charms were produced from reclaimed beauty packaging. The programme covered all 26 stores, four organisations, and seven university campuses, with repeat returns recorded at 52%.

The Retail Asia Awards highlights the pinnacle of excellence, innovation, and leadership within the retail industry across the Asia Pacific region. It serves as a benchmark of success, honouring companies and individuals who have made remarkable contributions to shaping the future of retail.

The Retail Asia Awards is presented by Retail Asia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2027 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's exceptional products or initiatives in the Retail industry, please contact Marni Marco at [email protected].