The $500 billion beauty industry's "green" ambitions are a patchwork at best, with many companies claiming to be more sustainable than they actually are. Despite the growing demand for eco-friendly products from consumers, who are increasingly willing to pay more for sustainability (60% of consumers rate sustainability as an important purchase criterion), the industry's efforts to reduce its environmental impact have been inconsistent and inadequate.
The industry's plastic packaging is a major sustainability challenge, with 95% of it being thrown away and only 9% of global plastic waste being recycled. Many brands are trying to phase out single-use plastics and adopt post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, but the supply chain issues and high cost of PCR plastic make it difficult for them to achieve their targets.
The beauty industry also lacks standardization when it comes to sustainability claims, with many companies using misleading marketing language such as "clean beauty" or "natural." The lack of transparency around product ingredients makes it difficult for consumers to make informed choices about the products they buy.
Governments and multinationals enforcing regulations and setting a baseline for brands to operate from would help to drive change. However, the industry's reliance on market leadership means that companies will need to take bold action to address their climate shortcomings.
The issue is further complicated by inconsistencies in recycling laws across countries, with some countries having stricter laws than others. This can make it difficult for consumers to find safer, greener products, especially if they are purchasing online or across borders.
In the US, for example, the European Union's standard for sunscreen ingredients is higher than that of the FDA, but only 35% of products meet the EU standard compared to 94% that pass the US standard. The lack of consistent regulations can lead to a situation where companies are able to avoid making meaningful changes by simply following a different set of rules.
Ultimately, it will take continued collective advocacy and initiative from brands, customers, and governments to drive meaningful change in the beauty industry's sustainability practices.
The industry's plastic packaging is a major sustainability challenge, with 95% of it being thrown away and only 9% of global plastic waste being recycled. Many brands are trying to phase out single-use plastics and adopt post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, but the supply chain issues and high cost of PCR plastic make it difficult for them to achieve their targets.
The beauty industry also lacks standardization when it comes to sustainability claims, with many companies using misleading marketing language such as "clean beauty" or "natural." The lack of transparency around product ingredients makes it difficult for consumers to make informed choices about the products they buy.
Governments and multinationals enforcing regulations and setting a baseline for brands to operate from would help to drive change. However, the industry's reliance on market leadership means that companies will need to take bold action to address their climate shortcomings.
The issue is further complicated by inconsistencies in recycling laws across countries, with some countries having stricter laws than others. This can make it difficult for consumers to find safer, greener products, especially if they are purchasing online or across borders.
In the US, for example, the European Union's standard for sunscreen ingredients is higher than that of the FDA, but only 35% of products meet the EU standard compared to 94% that pass the US standard. The lack of consistent regulations can lead to a situation where companies are able to avoid making meaningful changes by simply following a different set of rules.
Ultimately, it will take continued collective advocacy and initiative from brands, customers, and governments to drive meaningful change in the beauty industry's sustainability practices.
. I mean, 60% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products, that's a lot! But companies are still using all these buzzwords like "clean beauty" and "natural" without actually backing them up with facts 
. And don't even get me started on the plastic packaging, it's crazy how much of it is just thrown away without being recycled 
.
. We can't rely on market leadership alone if the problem is too big to be solved by individual companies. And what's with the inconsistencies in recycling laws across countries? It's like one country says it's okay to use this type of plastic, but another country says no 
.
. And let's be real, it's not just about the products themselves, it's also about the supply chain and how companies source their materials 
.
I'm so over these greenwashing companies 
! They're more worried about looks than actually making a difference for our planet 
. 60% of consumers care about sustainability, but it feels like no one's doing their part 
. Plastic packaging is still killing us 
and the industry needs to step up its game 
. Standardization would be a good start 
, but we need governments and big brands to hold them accountable 
. It's time for real change, not just a fancy label 
. Let's get creative and find ways to make sustainability cool again 
!
! like I know we all wanna save the planet but 95% of plastic packaging is literally being thrown away 
I need companies to step up their game ASAP 
and stop using misleading marketing language like "clean beauty" or "natural". it's just greenwashing, you know? 
we all need more transparency around product ingredients so consumers can make informed choices. and can we please get some consistency in recycling laws across countries?! 
. And don't even get me started on the labeling and marketing stuff - it's just greenwashing 
. Plus, what's with the supply chain issues? Can't companies just sort out their own problems instead of relying on governments and regulations? 
. Companies are only doing it because they wanna cash in on the eco-friendly trend and consumers are just eating it up like it's going out of style 
. And don't even get me started on those sustainability claims - most companies aren't even transparent about their ingredients or manufacturing processes, so who knows what's really going on behind the scenes? 
Can't we just get rid of single-use plastics altogether? I know it sounds simple, but wouldn't that be something? 
.
but we can see right through it. The fact that 95% of plastic packaging is wasted is just ridiculous...I mean, who throws away almost the entire product? 
...it's like they're trying to confuse consumers with all these "clean beauty" and "natural" labels. Can we please just have some real transparency around ingredients? 
, not just let companies take the lead and pretend they care about sustainability. And what's up with the inconsistencies in recycling laws across countries? It's like they're playing a game of environmental roulette 
...do we really have to be the ones to sort out the mess?
...otherwise, it's just going to be more of the same.
.
. And can we please just get some consistent regulations across countries already? Like, I don't want to be shopping online and then realize that a product is basically the opposite of what I thought it was 
. I mean, it won't be easy, but if we all work together, I think we can make some real progress in the beauty industry's sustainability efforts 
. It's not cool, guys. We need real change here, not just a bunch of greenwashing 
. We can't keep trusting these companies to do the right thing when they've proven time and time again that they're not to be trusted 
Those companies that claim to be super sustainable are like, super inconsistent 
The lack of standardization is killing me.
