The number of sustainability schemes and ethical labels in the cosmetics industry is increasing. Adoption rates are also rising, although there are significant variations between geographic regions.
In terms of certified products, natural & organic products lead. Ecovia Intelligence research finds there are about 45,000 certified products in the global cosmetics industry. COSMOS and NATRUE are the leading standards for natural and organic cosmetics. The adoption of natural & organic labels is highest in Europe, where there are over 20 different standards.
Vegan labels have shown the largest increase in recent years. The Vegan Society has the highest number of certified products: 34,556 cosmetics now carry its Vegan trademark. The Body Shop is one of its largest backers, getting all its 1000 plus range certified by the end of last year. Following its success in the food industry, the V-label (The European Vegetarian Union) is also certifying cosmetics as vegan and vegetarian.
In North America, labelling schemes representing health concerns are the most popular. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has almost 2,400 verified cosmetic products. Its standard is based on the Skin Deep database which assesses and compares the safety of cosmetic products. The Non-GMO Project and Made Safe labelling schemes are also gaining traction. The former has been adopted by 60 brands most of which have natural & organic cosmetics.
There are also a growing number of sustainability schemes that represent lower environmental impacts. The Nordic Swan and the EU Eco Flower are the leading ones for cosmetic products, with the highest adoption rates in northern Europe. Green Seal and Global GreenTag are popular in North America and Australasia respectively. These sustainability schemes are usually based on life-cycle analysis of products.
Cruelty-free labels are highly evident in Asia and North America. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has the Beauty Without Bunnies programme which certifies cosmetics products not tested on animals. Over 6000 cosmetic brands are part of the programme. The Leaping Bunny label of Cruelty-Free International is also popular. Almost 2400 cosmetic brands have adopted the Leaping Bunny certification scheme.
The number of ethical labels and sustainability schemes have increased substantially in recent years. As will be shown at the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit, the trend could be curtailed by regulations in the coming years. The European Commission’s Green Claims Directive aims to make brands substantiate any green claims they make. The directive plans to control the number of ethical labels in the cosmetics industry; new labels can only be introduced if they can prove they can prove they are better than existing ones. The number of ethical labels has increased exponentially in the last decade, however could some degree of rationalisation now be on the horizon?
Sustainable Cosmetics Summit
Sustainability schemes and ethical labels will be featured at the upcoming Sustainable Cosmetics Summit, hosted in Paris on 23-25th October. An update will be given on the leading schemes, including discussions on pending regulations and future outlook. Representatives from COSMOS, NATRUE, The Vegan Society, V-Label, Ecolabelling Denmark (Nordic Swan and EU Eco Flower), and the European Commission will be participating at the event.
Posted: September 26th 2024
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