The $500 Billion Beauty Industry's 'Green' Ambitions Are a Patchwork at Best, Falling Short of Expectations
As consumers increasingly prioritize sustainability in their purchasing decisions, the global beauty industry has responded with promises of eco-friendly practices and green ambitions. However, a recent study by Simon Kucher found that 60% of consumers worldwide now consider sustainability an important factor when making purchase decisions, and 35% are willing to pay more for sustainable products.
In response, many beauty brands have set environmental goals, including moving away from single-use plastics, providing recyclable, reusable, and refillable packaging, and increasing transparency around product ingredients. However, these efforts often fall short of expectations, with consumers still struggling to understand the sustainability credentials of many products.
The lack of consistency in the industry's clean-up efforts is a major issue. According to the British Beauty Council, companies are not doing enough to address the environmental impact of their operations and supply chains. This is partly due to the absence of international standards for product ingredient information sharing, which gives rise to confusion and "greenwashing."
Brands often use marketing language like "clean beauty" to make their products seem natural and sustainable, even if they may not actually be organic or ethically made. As Millie Kendall, CEO of the British Beauty Council, noted, this approach is becoming increasingly ineffective, with customers becoming more savvy and demanding better transparency and certification information.
The industry's reliance on virgin plastics is a major sustainability challenge, with 95% of packaging being thrown away and only 9% of global plastic waste being recycled. Many brands are trying to phase out harmful plastics from their operations and adopt post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, but the cost and sourcing issues pose significant challenges.
Beauty retailers also play a pivotal role in promoting sustainability, but many struggle to set standards for brands they sell. According to Jessi Baker, founder of Provenance, smaller businesses are often more effective at addressing these issues due to their nimble approach and focus on building sustainable cultures from the ground up.
While governments and multinationals can provide regulation and baseline requirements, market leadership is seen as key to driving change in the private sector. Companies like Credo Beauty are leading by example, prioritizing sustainability and transparency in their operations and supply chains.
Ultimately, the beauty industry's green ambitions will fall short of expectations unless there is a collective effort from brands, retailers, and consumers to drive meaningful change. As Mia Davis, vice president of sustainability and impact at Credo Beauty, noted, "Regulation can raise the floor, but it's market leadership that will make a real difference."
As consumers increasingly prioritize sustainability in their purchasing decisions, the global beauty industry has responded with promises of eco-friendly practices and green ambitions. However, a recent study by Simon Kucher found that 60% of consumers worldwide now consider sustainability an important factor when making purchase decisions, and 35% are willing to pay more for sustainable products.
In response, many beauty brands have set environmental goals, including moving away from single-use plastics, providing recyclable, reusable, and refillable packaging, and increasing transparency around product ingredients. However, these efforts often fall short of expectations, with consumers still struggling to understand the sustainability credentials of many products.
The lack of consistency in the industry's clean-up efforts is a major issue. According to the British Beauty Council, companies are not doing enough to address the environmental impact of their operations and supply chains. This is partly due to the absence of international standards for product ingredient information sharing, which gives rise to confusion and "greenwashing."
Brands often use marketing language like "clean beauty" to make their products seem natural and sustainable, even if they may not actually be organic or ethically made. As Millie Kendall, CEO of the British Beauty Council, noted, this approach is becoming increasingly ineffective, with customers becoming more savvy and demanding better transparency and certification information.
The industry's reliance on virgin plastics is a major sustainability challenge, with 95% of packaging being thrown away and only 9% of global plastic waste being recycled. Many brands are trying to phase out harmful plastics from their operations and adopt post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, but the cost and sourcing issues pose significant challenges.
Beauty retailers also play a pivotal role in promoting sustainability, but many struggle to set standards for brands they sell. According to Jessi Baker, founder of Provenance, smaller businesses are often more effective at addressing these issues due to their nimble approach and focus on building sustainable cultures from the ground up.
While governments and multinationals can provide regulation and baseline requirements, market leadership is seen as key to driving change in the private sector. Companies like Credo Beauty are leading by example, prioritizing sustainability and transparency in their operations and supply chains.
Ultimately, the beauty industry's green ambitions will fall short of expectations unless there is a collective effort from brands, retailers, and consumers to drive meaningful change. As Mia Davis, vice president of sustainability and impact at Credo Beauty, noted, "Regulation can raise the floor, but it's market leadership that will make a real difference."
I mean, what's up with all these beauty companies claiming they're eco-friendly? It's like they're trying to give each other a participation trophy for just showing up. 
"Oh look, we used recyclable packaging... and that counts as going green!" No, it doesn't. 
If you want to impress consumers, show us some actual transparency around your ingredients and supply chains. Don't just slap on a label that says "clean beauty" and expect everyone to believe it's true. 
. They said they're using recyclable packaging but when I looked closer, most of it was still plastic 
. Like, I know 60% of consumers care about sustainability, but it's not enough for me to just take their word for it 
. And have you noticed how some brands are like "clean beauty" 
but still contain harsh chemicals? It's like they're trying to trick us 
.
I'm kinda meh about this whole green beauty thing right now... Companies are trying, but it feels like they're just patching things up without really putting in the effort. Consumers want to know more about what's in their products and how they're made, but it's hard to separate the real deal from some fancy marketing speak 
.
. That's like, totally not sustainable, if you ask me. Companies are trying to switch to PCR plastic, but it's all about the cost and sourcing issues... which is just a fancy way of saying "we're not making enough money to care" 
.
. They're all about being green and sustainable, but like, most of them are just patching things together with half-measures 
. Consumers want transparency and consistency, but brands are still using that old "clean beauty" gimmick to make their products seem natural and eco-friendly when they probably aren't 
.
. It's crazy how much more affordable PCR plastic has become, but brands are still struggling to make the switch. The bigger problem is that smaller businesses like Provenance are leading by example because they're just more agile and focused on sustainability from the start.
. Companies like Credo Beauty are doing their part, but we need to see more brands stepping up and committing to real change 
. The industry's gotta move beyond just greenwashing and get serious about sustainability – for our planet's sake! 