Resource Use

Terracycle and McVitie’s launch recycling contest


Post-consumer recycling company TerraCycle and biscuit brand McVitie’s (owned by United Biscuits) launched a new collection contest on Saturday (1 February), which rewards consumers for recycling their biscuit wrappers.

Running until 30 April, the ‘Wrappers to Riches Collection Contest’ encourages people across the UK to collect and send their waste biscuit wrappers to TerraCycle for recycling, thus diverting material from landfill.

In return for sending in wrappers via a McVitie’s Biscuit Wrapper Brigade, consumers will receive TerraCycle points that can be used as a donation towards their chosen school or charity.

The 20 brigades that send in the most wrappers for recycling before 6pm on 30 April will win contributions of £125, £75, £25, or £10 to their chosen school, charity or non-profit organisation.

Awards are allocated as such:

  • Overall winner: 12,500 points (£125) plus a goodie bag full of McVitie’s biscuits;
  • First runner up: 7,500 Terracyle points (£75)plus a goodie bag full of McVitie’s biscuits;
  • Third-10th runners up: 2,500 (£25); and
  • 11th-20th runners up: 1,000 points (£10)

As well as participating in a brigade, each individual that signs up to the scheme will receive four, instead of two, TerraCycle points for the weight of each biscuit wrapper (of any brand) sent in for recycling during the contest dates.  Each point can be redeemed for a one pence contribution for the school, charity or non-profit organisation of the sender’s choice. 

To date, those participating in McVitie’s Biscuit Wrapper Brigade have diverted 166,000 waste biscuit wrappers from landfill, raising over £6,000 for UK schools, charities and non-profit organisations.

Founded in 2001, TerraCycle recycles a range of materials that are not currently easily-recycled in the UK. Last year the company reached the landmark of recycling its 10 millionth piece of packaging in the UK.

Find out more about the ‘Wrappers to Riches Collection Contest’.