Confusion and skepticism abound among today’s beauty shoppers.
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My role at Provenance puts me in meeting rooms and on video calls with incredible people who are working to change the beauty and wellness industry into a force for good. From product development innovators and industry bodies championing the environment to e-commerce managers developing sustainable publishing and certification bodies ensuring best practices. Every day forward-looking leaders inspire me to do more for people and our planet.
But to what extent are these efforts trickling down to customers? Do shoppers feel empowered to shop “sustainably” in 2022? How transparent do you think the beauty industry is? And what are the themes around which they want brands to do more?
We decided to find out. So, with London Research, Provenance surveyed more than 1,500 beauty shoppers across Europe and the Americas, speaking with leaders from various brands and industry bodies, including Cult Beauty, Elemis, Douglas, Noble Panacea and the B Corp Beauty Coalition. .
What we found sheds light on why confidence in the beauty industry’s green commitments is so low. But it also gives us a blueprint for how to do it better, and how brands that are making genuine progress on sustainability can earn the trust of buyers interested in sustainability.
Buyers look beyond price and performance
To win shopper loyalty, beauty and wellness brands can’t afford to focus solely on efficacy and value. Our research shows that 9 out of 10 shoppers believe that sustainability and other ethical considerations are important when purchasing beauty products. But even more striking is that 15% of shoppers now consider sustainability information to be more important than price, efficacy or product description when buying a beauty product, and this number rises to 18% for shoppers British.
15% of beauty shoppers now consider sustainability information more important than price and efficacy. … [+]
Provenance Research and London
If you’re holding your breath and waiting for the hype to pass, read on. Our findings indicate that interest in the social and environmental impact of brands will only increase as younger, more environmentally conscious shoppers make up a larger share of the market. Today, 44% of 18-36 year olds say that sustainability and ethical considerations are very important when purchasing beauty and wellness products, twice as many as those over 55 (22%). ). I was very excited to see Faith in Nature’s decision to name Nature to their board last month; it may not have been a commercially driven decision, but research suggests that they will reap the rewards as a brand over time.
What does ‘sustainability’ mean to beauty shoppers?
A host of brands are already responding to rising buyer expectations around sustainability. But what exactly are buyers looking for? Our research suggests that most brands focus on nature-related themes (eg, vegan), while in fact, shoppers’ understanding of sustainable beauty is much broader.
Of all the claims beauty brands have posted to date with Provenance, two-thirds relate to nature; this includes claims like Vegan, Coral Reef Safe, or Organic. While this is a crucial area for beauty, brands’ tunnel vision of nature is not reflected in what buyers are focusing on. Yes, 93% of beauty consumers believe that nature and animal welfare are an important consideration, but 90% also believe that the treatment of workers is an important purchase consideration, 88% say so for the impact of climate change and 82% say so because of their commitment to the community. Brands looking to empower customers to shop based on value should also consider the impact of their products in these areas.
Sustainability-conscious shoppers do not share brands’ tunnel vision on issues related to nature and … [+]
Provenance Research and London
Confusion and skepticism abound among beauty product shoppers.
When it comes to talking to shoppers, even the best-intentioned brands leave shoppers bewildered by a plethora of buzzwords and ambiguous claims. Shaun Russell, Founder of Skandinavisk and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the B Corp Beauty Coalition, put it best: “The beauty industry has always made a lot of noise about how it can make you feel better and now there’s a cacophony of noise about ‘promises’. “clean” and “environmental”. You can understand why buyers are confused and don’t know who to trust.”
Only a quarter of buyers find it very easy to understand the criteria behind sustainability and social impact claims. Nearly three-quarters of consumers (71%) are unsure what brands really mean when they say “eco-friendly” and 62% say the same when they say they are “green”. ‘Clean’ is another controversial term, recently drawing strong criticism from Stella McCartney ahead of the launch of her skincare line. Deloitte research tells us that 48% of shoppers feel that a lack of information prevents them from living a more sustainable lifestyle. To truly empower their customers, we need brands to provide clear and specific information about the impact of their products.
Only a quarter of buyers find it very easy to understand the criteria behind sustainability and … [+]
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And it’s not just vague language that’s keeping beauty customers from buying more sustainably. In the wake of more and more high-profile “greenwashing” controversies, brands must also address justifiable cynicism about “green” claims. Our research shows that 79% of beauty product consumers are hesitant to trust industry sustainability claims. Additionally, less than 25% strongly agree that brands are transparent about the environmental and social impact of their products.
Independent verification is key to regaining trust
The data shows that shoppers are confused and wary of misinformation, but it also clearly points to a way forward for brands.
Sharing independent verification evidence is the most effective way to reassure buyers that claims are fact, not fiction. 41% of buyers we surveyed found independent verification to be very reliable, making it by far the most trusted source of sustainability information when consumers are in shopping mode.
If beauty and wellness companies want to remain relevant to values-driven shoppers, they don’t have the luxury of setting their own homework when it comes to their impact on people and the planet.
As Laura Rudoe, founder of Evolve Organic Beauty, said, “independent certifications really help [us] stand out in a confusing marketplace and provide our clients with transparent information about the leading work we do to be ethical and sustainable.”
Download your copy of Skin Deep Beauty, the 2022 Provenance Report.
To find out how Provenance can help your brand share verified claims with online shoppers, click here.
Source: news.google.com