Bathroom & personal care
Shower gel bottles → bar soap
The easiest bathroom swap: same job, far less packaging, and usually cheaper.
Swap Priority
63/100
High priority
Swap Priority 63 out of 100: High priority- Plastic avoided
- ≈ 700 g a year
- Typical cost
- £1 – £6
- Swap from
- Shower gel in plastic bottles
- Last reviewed
- 26 September 2026
How strong is the evidence?
How the dials work- Exposure evidenceHow strong is the evidence that the plastic version exposes you to microplastics or plastic chemicals?
- Weak · 1/4
- Environmental evidenceHow strong is the evidence that this swap cuts environmental harm over the product's whole life?
- Strong · 4/4
- Claim verificationHow well has the alternative's plastic-free claim been verified?
- No product yet
Why swap
A household can get through dozens of shower gel and hand-wash bottles a year. A bar in paper does the same job.
What to look for
- Bars wrapped in paper or card, or sold loose
- A slatted wooden or ceramic soap dish so bars last longer
Watch out for
- Some bars are shrink-wrapped in plastic film
- "Syndet" bars can contain polymers — check if you care about ingredients too
More swaps in bathroom & personal care
Bathroom & personal care56/100Swap Priority 56 out of 100: Worth doing
Plastic toothbrush → wood handle, natural or replaceable bristles
A wooden handle cuts most of the plastic — but nearly all bristles are still nylon.
Worth doing · about 80 g of plastic a year
Bathroom & personal care54/100Swap Priority 54 out of 100: Worth doing
Disposable pads → organic cotton or reusable options
Most disposable pads are largely plastic. Cotton and reusable options cut that, with honest trade-offs.
Worth doing · about 600 g of plastic a year
Bathroom & personal care50/100Swap Priority 50 out of 100: Worth doing
Shampoo bottles → shampoo bar
Bars cut bottles entirely. Expect a week or two for your hair to adjust.
Worth doing · about 500 g of plastic a year