Dulux Decorator Centre is committed to making sustainable improvements and moving forwards with customers to help them do the same. We recently caught up with the company’s Managing Director, Sarah Atkins, to find out how.
At Dulux Decorator Centre, we have three key sustainability commitments. They are:
- Triple the overall numbers of empty cans we recycle by the end of 2025
- Positively impact 1% of the UK population by 2030 through decorating community spaces and with training
- Help customers switch to water-based paint, without compromising on quality
By providing a greater choice of sustainable paints and services throughout all our stores, we are not only achieving our own commitments but are helping our customers to reach their own sustainability goals too.
How does Dulux Decorator Centre’s can recycling service work?
Our can recycling service – in partnership with Veolia – is free for all customers. Decorators can either drop their empty cans into store or arrange for collection if a delivery is being made to site, depending on what is easier for them.
We accept empty paint cans from any brand, to prevent them from being sent to landfill. Plastic cans are shredded, washed and sent on to the plastics recycling market, and metal cans are melted into new steel and returned to the general market to create tools and products.
We also support account holders with sustainability reporting, by keeping records of how many cans they have recycled in a year. Showcasing these figures helps decorators secure and maintain sustainability-minded clients, by demonstrating their commitment to environmental efficiency.
Last year we launched our first ‘Canmesty’ campaign to raise awareness of the service and ask the trade to use it to recycle their empty cans for free. The campaign was a real success – and increased the number of cans recycled by over 71% in 2024. Our first campaign for this year is already underway, so look out on our social channels to find out how you can get involved.
What can decorators do if they have leftover paint?
Community RePaint is one of our key community partners, and it helps to prevent waste by recovering leftover paint and redistributing it to individuals and groups in the wider community at affordable prices. To donate any leftover paint, decorators just need to visit the Community RePaint website to find their local scheme.
How is Dulux Decorator Centre positively impacting the UK population?
Our commitment to positively impacting 1% of the UK population by 2030 through decorating community spaces and with training is incredibly important. We do this through our support of numerous causes, including our partnership with Volunteer It Yourself (VIY).
VIY is a social enterprise that challenges 14–24-year-olds to learn trade and employability skills. It provides them with hands-on experience and a chance to gain Entry Level 3 City & Guilds accreditations. As well as donating paint supplies, we are also supporting VIY by selling paint stirrers and tin openers in all our stores. This alone has raised an impressive £65,000 since we started the initiative, which has supported young people to achieve their City & Guilds accreditation in painting and decorating.
We also support CRASH – a charity that transforms hostels and day centres for the homeless, and hospices for children and adults who need end of life care.
What is Dulux Decorator Centre doing to help decorators switch to more sustainable products?
Opting for water-based products with lower VOC content for trim can help decorators to reduce emissions and improve indoor air quality. Thanks to modern technologies, the water-based products available in our stores are just as good as – or even better than – solvent-based alternatives.
We now stock a range of 99.9% VOC free products for walls and ceilings to ensure our customers can find the right solutions for their project. This includes Dulux Trade Diamond Matt, Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt, Dulux Trade Stain Block Matt and Dulux Trade Super Matt.
Decorators can also help to improve sustainability by reducing the need for frequent redecoration. Every time a space is painted, emissions are produced. As such, choosing durable, water-based products – like Dulux Trade Diamond Matt and Dulux Trade Scuffshield Matt, which deliver long-lasting, quality finishes – will not only please the client but also help to improve sustainability across a building’s lifetime too.
What else is Dulux Decorator Centre doing to be more sustainable?
We are making steps to ensure our 230+ stores are as sustainable as possible. This includes using renewable energies in store and being as efficient as possible with our resources. For example, our Leicester Snaiths store is now powered by solar energy – and, due to its success, we are looking to install solar panels at a further five locations. Six of our stores are also fitted with biomass boilers that burn wood pellets to generate a carbon neutral source of energy.
We are also constantly reviewing our delivery options, to ensure we can deliver as efficiently as possible. While electric vehicles are a brilliant solution, there are some areas that require additional options. For example, we found that busy hubs and major cities need an alternative to our usual delivery vans. As such, we launched a new ultra-rapid, e-cargo bike delivery service in central London in partnership with Absolutely, a same day courier service, to provide speedy, more sustainable deliveries.
Finally, we offer products in packaging that includes recycled content or reusable materials – and caulk in collapsible foil tubes with 97% recyclable packaging. For customers working on large projects, we provide the option of using reusable bulk paint containers, which significantly reduce the number of empty paint cans per job. This greatly reduces plastic usage on sites and overall waste volume, enhancing sustainable practices.
To find out more about Dulux Decorator Centre and how it can support you and your business to be more sustainable, visit: www.duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk/sustainability-hub
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