Boots makes huge change to points scheme and customers are not happy

Boots shoppers have been left grumbling after the high street giant confirmed a major shake-up to its popular Recycle at Boots rewards scheme.

The initiative, which allows customers to claim 500 Advantage Card points, worth £5, for every five empty products they bring back in store is being tightened up with stricter rules on how quickly rewards can be used.

Under the new terms, from September 3, the £5 voucher shoppers receive at drop-off must now be activated and spent on the very same day, expiring just before midnight.

What’s more, the time allowed to “activate” that voucher in the app has been slashed from half an hour to just five minutes.

That means anyone leaving it too long to load the voucher risks seeing it vanish before it can be redeemed.

A disgruntled shopper posted the update onto Facebook, fuming over the new conditions.

One customer said: “5 minutes? When it takes that long to get the app to load when in store…”

Another added: “I’ll just have to activate it when I get to the till and let people suffer.”

The scheme itself has been one of Boots’ most praised eco-friendly moves.

Customers can bring back five empty beauty, health or wellness products, and when they spend £10 or more, they receive a voucher worth £5.

Once dropped off, the voucher appears in the Boots app.

Shoppers are guided to only reveal it when they’re ready to pay, before loading it onto their Advantage Card at the till.

The discount then comes off a single transaction.

Boots said the update to terms and conditions will not dramatically alter how most customers use the scheme.

A spokesperson explained that the vast majority already activate and redeem their voucher straight away at the checkout, so the change simply streamlines the process.

The chain added that the reward remains one of the easiest ways for shoppers to both recycle responsibly and earn a decent bonus on their shop.

But with the clock now ticking faster than ever, customers who want to cash in on the £5 perk will need to be sharper at the checkout – or risk watching their reward disappear.

What is the Boots Recycling Scheme – and how does it work?

Boots launched the Recycling Rewards programme to encourage eco-conscious behaviour.

Shoppers who return eligible used items, like beauty, skincare or health product packaging, to designated in-store recycling bins receive points redeemable against future purchases.

It’s a neat way to reward recycling while saving on essentials.

Under the revamped terms, every time a customer drops off qualifying packaging, a digital voucher appears in the Boots app.

Previously, shoppers had 30 minutes to activate it, and the voucher remained valid for a longer period, long enough to use during that shopping trip or later.

Now, the narrow five-minute activation window and same-day expiry cut planning time to the bone.

How to sign up and get recycling rewards

For those new to the scheme: joining is simple.

1. Download the Boots app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
2. Register an account or log in if already set up.
3. Bring eligible empty product packaging (cosmetics, medicines, etc.) to your local Boots store’s recycling bin.
4. Scan or drop off the items—you’ll receive a digital voucher in the app.
5. Now, you’ll have five minutes to activate the voucher, and then it must be used before midnight that same day.

With the new rules, the best strategy is to deposit recyclables while already at the checkout, opening the app beforehand so you’re ready to activate and spend immediately.