The $500 billion global beauty industry's ambitions to become more sustainable are patchwork at best, with many companies struggling to meet their own environmental goals.
According to a study by Simon Kucher, 60% of consumers worldwide rate sustainability as an important purchase criterion, and 35% are willing to pay more for sustainable products or services. This shift in consumer preferences has propelled many beauty brands to set environmental goals, such as moving away from single-use plastics, providing recyclable packaging, and offering transparency around product ingredients.
However, consumers still struggle to understand the sustainability credentials of many products, mainly because the industry's clean-up efforts have been inconsistent and lack collective goal-setting, global strategy, and standardized regulations. The British Beauty Council notes that even natural ingredients involved in manufacturing products often lead to "over-consumption, non-regenerative farming practices, pollution, waste, and neglect."
One major challenge is plastic packaging, which accounts for 95% of the industry's waste. Despite efforts by some brands to adopt post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, many still use single-use plastics or virgin plastics. The cosmetics business is the fourth-largest user of plastic packaging globally, with only 9% of global plastic waste being recycled.
Governments and multinationals enforcing regulations and setting a baseline for sustainability claims could greatly aid in making change. However, experts argue that market leadership is key, and continued collective advocacy and initiative are necessary to address the industry's climate shortcomings.
The missing piece in the sustainability puzzle is standardization across the beauty ecosystem. Certifications like B Corp provide some guidance, but they are voluntary, and consumers often lack access to accurate information about product ingredients and packaging.
Until there is greater transparency, regulation, and standardization, the beauty industry will continue to struggle with its environmental impact. The $500 billion global beauty market has the power to drive change, but it needs to prioritize sustainability and work towards a more circular economy.
According to a study by Simon Kucher, 60% of consumers worldwide rate sustainability as an important purchase criterion, and 35% are willing to pay more for sustainable products or services. This shift in consumer preferences has propelled many beauty brands to set environmental goals, such as moving away from single-use plastics, providing recyclable packaging, and offering transparency around product ingredients.
However, consumers still struggle to understand the sustainability credentials of many products, mainly because the industry's clean-up efforts have been inconsistent and lack collective goal-setting, global strategy, and standardized regulations. The British Beauty Council notes that even natural ingredients involved in manufacturing products often lead to "over-consumption, non-regenerative farming practices, pollution, waste, and neglect."
One major challenge is plastic packaging, which accounts for 95% of the industry's waste. Despite efforts by some brands to adopt post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, many still use single-use plastics or virgin plastics. The cosmetics business is the fourth-largest user of plastic packaging globally, with only 9% of global plastic waste being recycled.
Governments and multinationals enforcing regulations and setting a baseline for sustainability claims could greatly aid in making change. However, experts argue that market leadership is key, and continued collective advocacy and initiative are necessary to address the industry's climate shortcomings.
The missing piece in the sustainability puzzle is standardization across the beauty ecosystem. Certifications like B Corp provide some guidance, but they are voluntary, and consumers often lack access to accurate information about product ingredients and packaging.
Until there is greater transparency, regulation, and standardization, the beauty industry will continue to struggle with its environmental impact. The $500 billion global beauty market has the power to drive change, but it needs to prioritize sustainability and work towards a more circular economy.
. I mean, on one hand, I love that consumers are finally expecting more from their skincare and makeup purchases. It's about time! 
And 60% of people rating sustainability as important is huge – it's like we're all in this together 
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. Like, how many different certifications are out there and which one is actually legit? 
It's so frustrating when I'm trying to make an informed decision about a product but I don't know what's in it or where it came from.
. 95% of the industry's waste is crazy! 
Like, can we not use PCR plastic yet?! 
We need to step up our game and create a more circular economy – stat!
. Governments and multinationals could totally help out with regulations and guidelines, but I guess that's a whole other can of worms 
I'm like totally frustrated about this news! It's crazy that the beauty industry is all about being sustainable on paper, but when you look at the actual practices, they're super inconsistent 
. And don't even get me started on plastic packaging – it's like, what's up with that? 
We need more regulation, standardization, and collective advocacy to make real change happen! 
I think consumers want more transparency about product ingredients and packaging, like what's in this stuff? 
Like, "we're reducing our waste" and then they just change the packaging to a slightly different design 
It's gotta be more than that. The industry needs to step up its game and take responsibility for its environmental impact 
) and lack of transparency around ingredients, it's hard not to feel like we're just spinning our wheels 
. What's needed is some serious government intervention and regulation 
, or even better, a collective effort from companies to standardize their sustainability practices 
... until then, I'm still waiting for the beauty industry to really "clean up its act" 
.
. And that's where standardization comes in – if we could just get a handle on some basic guidelines and certifications, I think we'd see real progress 
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. We can't rely on governments or regulations alone; it's going to be up to market leaders to drive change and push for a more circular economy 
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. Like, 60% of consumers care about this stuff, which is awesome, but if we're not holding these brands accountable, what's the point? We need more concrete actions from corporations, not just empty promises of "going green" 
. Standardized regulations and certifications are a must! If it's not transparent, don't advertise it 
. And let's be real, 95% of plastic packaging waste is still a major issue...it's time for the industry to step up its game 
. Like, 35% of consumers willing to pay more for sustainable products? That's cute, but what about those who can't afford to shop at luxury brands that claim to be eco-friendly? 
. And what about the small businesses that can't compete with these giant brands? They're the ones who need help, but nobody seems to be paying attention 
.
with 95% being plastic packaging waste 
and multinationals 
to step up and set some rules 
for the beauty industry. Without standardization, it's hard for consumers to make informed choices 
️ but we need more!
for the beauty industry.
️: