The $500 billion global beauty industry has set ambitious environmental goals, promising to move away from single-use plastics, increase recyclable packaging, and provide more transparency around product ingredients. However, despite these efforts, the industry's sustainability credentials are falling short.
According to Simon Kucher's Global Sustainability Study 2021, 60% of consumers worldwide consider sustainability an important purchase criterion, and 35% are willing to pay more for sustainable products or services. This shift in consumer preferences has prompted many beauty brands to set environmental goals, but the industry's efforts have been inconsistent.
The biggest challenge facing the industry is plastic packaging, which accounts for about 67% of its packaging volume. The cosmetics business is the fourth largest plastic packaging user globally, and only 9% of global plastic waste is recycled. Beauty giants like L'Oréal and Estee Lauder Companies are trying to phase out harmful plastics from their operations, but they face challenges in sourcing post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic.
Many brands have set targets for PCR plastic usage, but these goals are often far from being achieved. For example, L'Oréal aims to reach 50% PCR plastic usage by 2025, while Estee Lauder is targeting 25%. However, the high cost of PCR plastic and limited supply make it difficult for brands to meet their targets.
The missing piece in the industry's sustainability puzzle is standardization. While certifications like B Corp can provide some assurance about a brand's environmental credentials, they are voluntary and not widely recognized. Governments and multinationals enforcing regulations and setting a baseline for brands to operate from would go a long way in making change.
Retailers also play a crucial role in promoting sustainability in the industry. Sephora launched its "Clean + Planet Positive" initiative in 2021, which labels products that meet its criteria. Target has also introduced a similar program featuring a "Target Zero" icon for products with reduced plastic packaging.
Ultimately, market leadership is key to driving change in the beauty industry. As consumers increasingly prioritize sustainability, brands must respond by providing clean and sustainable products. Without collective advocacy and initiative from both brands and customers, meaningful climate-conscious change will be difficult to achieve.
In the absence of global standards or regulations, companies like Provenance are stepping up to provide tools for brands to display their sustainability credentials. However, more needs to be done to address the industry's significant environmental impact.
As Susanne Kaufmann, founder of her namesake beauty brand, notes, "Regulation can raise the floor a bit. But that's never going to be what the market can do." The beauty industry must lead the way in promoting sustainability and reducing its environmental footprint.
According to Simon Kucher's Global Sustainability Study 2021, 60% of consumers worldwide consider sustainability an important purchase criterion, and 35% are willing to pay more for sustainable products or services. This shift in consumer preferences has prompted many beauty brands to set environmental goals, but the industry's efforts have been inconsistent.
The biggest challenge facing the industry is plastic packaging, which accounts for about 67% of its packaging volume. The cosmetics business is the fourth largest plastic packaging user globally, and only 9% of global plastic waste is recycled. Beauty giants like L'Oréal and Estee Lauder Companies are trying to phase out harmful plastics from their operations, but they face challenges in sourcing post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic.
Many brands have set targets for PCR plastic usage, but these goals are often far from being achieved. For example, L'Oréal aims to reach 50% PCR plastic usage by 2025, while Estee Lauder is targeting 25%. However, the high cost of PCR plastic and limited supply make it difficult for brands to meet their targets.
The missing piece in the industry's sustainability puzzle is standardization. While certifications like B Corp can provide some assurance about a brand's environmental credentials, they are voluntary and not widely recognized. Governments and multinationals enforcing regulations and setting a baseline for brands to operate from would go a long way in making change.
Retailers also play a crucial role in promoting sustainability in the industry. Sephora launched its "Clean + Planet Positive" initiative in 2021, which labels products that meet its criteria. Target has also introduced a similar program featuring a "Target Zero" icon for products with reduced plastic packaging.
Ultimately, market leadership is key to driving change in the beauty industry. As consumers increasingly prioritize sustainability, brands must respond by providing clean and sustainable products. Without collective advocacy and initiative from both brands and customers, meaningful climate-conscious change will be difficult to achieve.
In the absence of global standards or regulations, companies like Provenance are stepping up to provide tools for brands to display their sustainability credentials. However, more needs to be done to address the industry's significant environmental impact.
As Susanne Kaufmann, founder of her namesake beauty brand, notes, "Regulation can raise the floor a bit. But that's never going to be what the market can do." The beauty industry must lead the way in promoting sustainability and reducing its environmental footprint.
I mean, have you seen how much money some of these big beauty brands are making off those sustainable products? It's like they're just greenwashing to make consumers feel good 
. And what's with the "Clean + Planet Positive" initiative from Sephora? Just another way for them to convince us that they're doing more than they actually are 
. I think we need to be more critical of these brands and their sustainability claims... 
. They're trying to do the right thing by switching to more sustainable packaging and whatnot, but it's just not good enough 
. Like, we need to see some real changes here - 50% PCR plastic usage by 2025 is cute, but where's the action? 
. It's like, come on brands! If you're going to claim that your product is sustainable, then make it easy for consumers to see that 
. We need more than just certifications and vague claims - we need real transparency.
, but it's not enough. The whole industry needs to step up and lead the way on sustainability. And yeah, regulation would be a good starting point too 
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. But hey, at least we have brands like Susanne Kaufmann who are speaking out for change 
. Now let's see some real action! 
! It's wild that despite the big brands making promises, they're still not hitting their targets on reducing plastic waste. I mean, 50% PCR plastic usage by 2025 is a cute goal, but it's just that - a goal 
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. Governments and multinationals gotta step in and create some actual regulations 
. Retailers are doing their part with initiatives like Target Zero, but we need a bigger push from the industry as a whole 
! It's time for these brands to get real about sustainability and lead by example 
. We can't just sit back and wait for others to make changes - we gotta keep pushing and advocating for a more sustainable future 
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, but we need to see more big players step up the game. I mean, if governments and multinationals were enforcing some kind of standardization, it would make a huge difference 
. And let's be real, those certifications like B Corp aren't super recognized, so they're not doing much to hold companies accountable 
. At the end of the day, it's up to brands to make sustainable products a priority and show consumers that eco-friendliness is cool 
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. but we need more consistency across the board. standardization is key 
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. We need some real accountability here, like governments setting some proper standards for the industry 
. Can't have companies just "going green" when it's convenient for them 
I'm low-key worried about this beauty industry 
But brands are still struggling with plastic packaging and sourcing PCR plastic... it's like they're not even trying 
. The industry needs to lead the way on sustainability or else we'll be stuck in a plastic-filled nightmare 
. What's up with all these brands setting targets for PCR plastic usage? They need to make good on those promises! 
The beauty industry is trying, but they gotta step it up 
! It's crazy that 60% of consumers care about sustainability, but we still see a lot of single-use plastics and no real standardization 
. The industry needs to work together, like brands and governments and retailers, to make some real changes 
. Companies like Sephora are doing a great job with their initiatives, but more needs to be done 
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otherwise it's like companies are just saying "oh look, we're doing our part" and then not actually doing much 
. but seriously, if everyone worked together to reduce waste and increase transparency around ingredients, we might actually stand a chance at making some progress 
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It's all about setting ambitious goals and then finding ways to meet them, which is not as simple as just saying you want to be more sustainable.
. They're trying to make changes and reduce waste, but it's tough when there's no global standard or regulation in place. I mean, have you seen the prices of PCR plastic? It's crazy! 
. Brands can take ownership of this issue and make changes within their own operations. And let's not forget, consumers have the power to choose where they shop and what brands they support 
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. What I think we really need is more education and awareness. Consumers need to understand what sustainability actually means in the beauty industry, so they can make informed choices about the products they buy 
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. Retailers are trying to help, though 
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. Until then, I'll just keep supporting brands that actually care about sustainability