B2M in Italy

[Ejka]

I've recently returned from my vacation in Italy and since I wasn't able to find any useful info on B2M in Italy prior to my departure, I thought it would be useful to share my experience.
The counters (I've checked the ones in Coin department stores in Venice and Florence) do not accept empties – no surprise there. However, I was able to B2M at the MAC store in Bologna and the MAC PRO in Milan. I didn't visit any other MAC stores (I believe it's just one more in Rome), but my guess is that it follows the same policy.
The majority of my empties were pots from depotted shadows (without the stickers at the bottom) and the MUA in both stores were completely fine with it – they didn't even look twice. They also do not have a limit on the number of empties you want to exchange (I had no problem returning 30 with a single purchase). The only downside is that – as in other European countries – you can only B2M for lipsticks from the permanent line (no LE even if it's in the regular black packaging, no glosses, e/s etc.).
I was surprised to find some discontinued products such as chartru paint, birchbark ccb, pink ccb

etc. I was also impressed by the amount of LE items they receive – although In the Groove had been out for several weeks, all the stores and counters still had Stereo Rose (which is quite unthinkable to someone who is used to LE selling out in the matter of hours)! The prices are similar to German, but slightly steeper (approximately 1 Euro per product

).

 

[Alty]

I know this Thread is super-old but I wanted to add a few more infos since I live in Italy.
My local MAC counter (Coin in Naples) does B2M, and they told me you can choose any lipstick except for Viva Glam ones (for obvious reasons

), but I didn't ask specifically about the LE.

There's also another MAC store in Milan (not pro), one in Rome as you said and…I believe they're all. There are a few more counters in other cities though, but Coin counters don't get all the LE stuff.

I think LE products are starting to sell out very quickly here too, bloggers and youtubers are really spreading the word and Venomous Villains products were sold out just a few hours after the store opening, they didn't even have the time to set the displays.

 

[RepettoFlats]

I live in Pisa and my nearest MAC counter is in Florence (at the Coin department store). Theydo B2M, but only for lipsticks on the permanent line (no LE, even if it's the regular packaging, and no eyeshadows). I used a few pots from depotted eyeshadows to B2M and didn't have any problems.
The only items I've seen being sold out in like minutes were the mineralize bronzers from the Wonder Woman collection... I arrived at the store at the day of the release, they were already sold out at 3PM O.O