Reuse Shops at two city recycling centres, operated by SUEZ in the UK (SUEZ) on behalf of Aberdeen City Council, have impressed visitors following upgrades to one of the shops, which has already sold over 104,000 items since opening its doors.
A rebuild of the Hazlehead shop, including additional floor space, and increased storage for furniture and other large items, was completed recently and the shop has now reopened to the public. This comes on the back of a second reuse shop opening in late 2025 at the new Bridge of Don recycling centre, bringing the total of the popular shops to two, with a new added inclusion of a repair and community space too.
Colin Duguid, who was visiting the shop, said: “It’s great to see the Reuse Shop open again and they’ve done an impressive job rebuilding it.
“It’s a fantastic idea as it keeps things that would once have ended up in landfill in use. You see some really good items kept out of the skips here and there’s always something different on sale.”
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “The expanded Reuse Shop at Hazlehead is great. It helps reduce waste and encourage reuse. I was impressed by its wide range of stock when I visited it.
“The improvements at the Hazlehead Reuse Shop, in addition to the new Bridge of Don site, provide a fantastic resource for residents to keep good-quality items in use rather than throwing them away or recycling them.”
Richard Hinchcliffe, Regional Manager at SUEZ UK said: “The new and improved reuse and repair spaces supported by the Zero Waste Scotland funding have allowed us to not only expand the items we can capture and resell, preventing more items from going to waste and supporting local communities with quality items at a low cost, but have also allowed us to begin repairing and adding value to items.”
David Gunn, Recycling Improvement Fund Manager at Zero Waste Scotland: “The success of Aberdeen’s Reuse Shops shows how embedding circularity at a local level can have a positive impact on residents, the environment, and the wider economy. Through giving items a second life through reuse and repair, these important facilities are helping reduce waste, while making circular choices accessible and affordable for their communities.
“We’re grateful to have supported Aberdeen City Council and SUEZ UK to deliver this vital work and look forward to seeing these locations continue to grow from strength to strength.”
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Christian Allard added: “The new Reuse Shop is looking fantastic, and I would like to thank our partners at SUEZ and Zero Waste Scotland for their efforts and contribution to deliver the improvements.
In Case You Missed it:
“I would encourage everyone in Aberdeen to come visit their nearest shop and come and see what’s on offer.”
With the two shops now open and a growing team of six full-time employees, operations have already seen an increase of 36% on the tonnes diverted compared to the same time last year which is equivalent to around 4,000 items per month. And with the addition of a space for repair, the team is looking to develop partnerships with local community groups to support skills development and to support the circular economy in the region.
The shop, which has sold over 104,000 items since it first opened its doors, had outgrown its previous operation thanks to its success with local residents.
