The $500 billion global beauty industry has long touted its "green" ambitions, but a recent report by Simon Kucher reveals that these efforts are patchwork at best. In 2021, the consulting firm's Global Sustainability Study found that 60% of consumers worldwide view sustainability as an important purchase criterion, with 35% willing to pay more for eco-friendly products.
In response, beauty brands have set ambitious environmental goals, aiming to shift away from single-use plastics, develop recyclable and reusable packaging, and increase transparency around product ingredients. However, many customers still struggle to understand the sustainability credentials of their purchases, largely due to inconsistent industry efforts and a lack of collective goal-setting and global strategy.
One major area where the beauty industry falls short is in ingredient transparency. There is currently no international standard for how much product information brands must share with consumers, leading to "greenwashing" – where companies make unsubstantiated sustainability claims to boost sales. The term "clean beauty," often used by brands to market eco-friendly products, has become particularly problematic, as it can be misleading and may not accurately reflect the true environmental impact of a product.
The industry's plastic packaging is another major area for improvement. Plastic makes up 67% of the industry's packaging volume, but only 9% of global plastic waste is recycled – with many brands struggling to source sufficient post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials. This has led to criticism that the industry's efforts to reduce its environmental impact are not being taken seriously enough.
Retailers also play a crucial role in promoting sustainability, but many fail to set standards for their suppliers and partners. Companies like Sephora and Target have launched initiatives aimed at reducing plastic waste and increasing eco-friendly product offerings, but more needs to be done.
The beauty industry's progress on sustainability will likely depend on continued leadership from brands and customers. However, without bold regulations or global standards in place, meaningful change may prove difficult to achieve. As one expert noted, "regulation can raise the floor a bit," but it is ultimately market leadership that will drive meaningful climate-conscious change in the industry.
In the end, the beauty industry's commitment to sustainability will depend on its ability to adopt bold, collective action and hold itself accountable for its environmental impact – a challenge that requires cooperation from brands, retailers, policymakers, and consumers alike.
In response, beauty brands have set ambitious environmental goals, aiming to shift away from single-use plastics, develop recyclable and reusable packaging, and increase transparency around product ingredients. However, many customers still struggle to understand the sustainability credentials of their purchases, largely due to inconsistent industry efforts and a lack of collective goal-setting and global strategy.
One major area where the beauty industry falls short is in ingredient transparency. There is currently no international standard for how much product information brands must share with consumers, leading to "greenwashing" – where companies make unsubstantiated sustainability claims to boost sales. The term "clean beauty," often used by brands to market eco-friendly products, has become particularly problematic, as it can be misleading and may not accurately reflect the true environmental impact of a product.
The industry's plastic packaging is another major area for improvement. Plastic makes up 67% of the industry's packaging volume, but only 9% of global plastic waste is recycled – with many brands struggling to source sufficient post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials. This has led to criticism that the industry's efforts to reduce its environmental impact are not being taken seriously enough.
Retailers also play a crucial role in promoting sustainability, but many fail to set standards for their suppliers and partners. Companies like Sephora and Target have launched initiatives aimed at reducing plastic waste and increasing eco-friendly product offerings, but more needs to be done.
The beauty industry's progress on sustainability will likely depend on continued leadership from brands and customers. However, without bold regulations or global standards in place, meaningful change may prove difficult to achieve. As one expert noted, "regulation can raise the floor a bit," but it is ultimately market leadership that will drive meaningful climate-conscious change in the industry.
In the end, the beauty industry's commitment to sustainability will depend on its ability to adopt bold, collective action and hold itself accountable for its environmental impact – a challenge that requires cooperation from brands, retailers, policymakers, and consumers alike.
. Like, I get it, they wanna make it seem like they care about the planet, but come on! If we're not seeing consistent effort from brands, how can customers really trust that their fave eco-friendly products are actually doing some good? 
And don't even get me started on the packaging 
. 67% of plastic waste and only 9% recycled? That's just wild. Retailers need to step up too - setting standards for suppliers is key! 
But honestly, I think what we really need is more transparency... like, actual numbers and facts, not just marketing buzzwords 
. Until then, it's all just a bunch of lip service 
Like 67% of packaging is plastic, but only 9% gets recycled... that's crazy! 
And it's not just about recycling, it's about transparency too - consumers want to know what they're putting on their skin. The "clean beauty" label is a total joke, if you ask me. 
It's like, we get it, some brands are trying to be eco-friendly, but let's not pretend that all of them are being genuine.
They're more interested in making money than promoting sustainability. But, on the bright side, companies like Sephora and Target are doing their part by launching initiatives to reduce plastic waste and increase eco-friendly product offerings. That's gotta count for something!
Not buying it.
. We need to hold them accountable for their actions, not just wait around for them to magically do the right thing.
. I mean, 60% of consumers thinking sustainability is important is cool and all, but where are the actual changes? They just keep making empty promises and using terms like "clean beauty" that have no real meaning 
. And don't even get me started on the plastic packaging 
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. It's like, come on, people! We want to know what's really in our products, not just some buzzwords about "clean" or "eco-friendly". And don't even get me started on packaging – 67% of it is plastic?! That's insane. We need more transparency and accountability from brands, for real this time 
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It's like they're trying to check off all these eco-friendly boxes without actually doing the hard work of making real changes. And don't even get me started on greenwashing – it's just misleading marketing speak 
I think what we need is for brands to be more honest about their ingredients & production processes, and for retailers to step up their game when it comes to holding suppliers accountable 
It's like they're just pretending to be sustainable without really doing anything.
. If a product is clean, how do I know what that actually means? 
The industry needs to get its act together and set some standards for transparency. It's like they're just winging it.
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. I mean, we know it's a problem, but some brands are still using like, ridiculous amounts of single-use plastics. It's crazy that 9% of global plastic waste is actually recycled... what's going on? 
. We need to be willing to pay a bit more for products that are genuinely sustainable and transparent.
. It's time for us to take action and hold these companies accountable 
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. There's no clear standard for what's sustainable or eco-friendly, so consumers are left to guess. And let's be real, who wants to spend more money just because a brand says they're "clean"? It's like buying a luxury item based on empty promises 
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. Let's create a puzzle that actually has a clear picture, and one that we can all be proud of 
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. It's like they're playing a game of tag, where one person is "it" (i.e., the supplier) and everyone else just kinda... exists 
. We can do this! 
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. maybe then we can start to see real change in the industry 
... 67% of the industry's volume, but only 9% of global plastic waste gets recycled? That's crazy! We need to take some real action here, not just make a few token changes to our branding and marketing campaigns. It's time for the beauty industry to step up its game and start taking responsibility for its environmental impact.
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