A survey of 2,029 British adults shows 79% believe personal care and beauty brands should put more effort into manufacturing products in an ethical and sustainable way.
Science Group companies Sagentia and Leatherhead Food Research commissioned the online quantitative study to shed light on complex consumer trends in the sector.
The sentiment was shared by men and women, and was consistent across all age groups. However, female respondents felt significantly more strongly about the issue than men, with 85% versus 73% saying more effort should be made.
When asked about which factors are important to them when making purchase decisions, ‘ethics and sustainability’ (34%) was on par with ‘natural ingredients’ (30%) and ‘sensory characteristics’ (31%). Around a third of all respondents said ethical and sustainability credentials were important, with the figure jumping to 40% for women. The top priorities were ‘value for money’ and ‘functional benefits’, mentioned by 67% and 54% respectively.
Emma Gubisch, head of Consumer & Sensory Insight at Leatherhead, says the collaborative research team expected some respondents to care about ethics and sustainability, in light of the growing public discussion about climate change. However, the high majority saying they want the sector to do more demonstrates how the narrative is becoming more mainstream. She believes the findings reveal a latent desire for personal care and beauty products which take a more purposeful stance.
“There seems to be a rising tide of consumer interest in ethics and sustainability, especially amongst women,” Gubisch explains. “The question for personal care and beauty brands is how to address this. Many sector leaders have published sustainability reports and objectives, but the ethos needs to filter down to the product level. It’s about showing consumers that you operate with integrity and purpose, making considered choices about formulations, ingredients, devices and packaging. People need to see evidence of this at the point of purchase, not just in corporate statements.”
Gubisch says it is likely that the personal care and beauty sector will see a new wave of entrants with innovative products rooted in ethics and sustainability. However, there is much potential for bigger brands to align themselves with the movement as well.
“Brand trust and recognition were an important point of purchase factor for 43% of respondents. So established players which act decisively and transparently to improve their credentials have an opportunity to earn a slice of this emerging market,” she concludes.
Leatherhead operates predominantly in the food and beverage sector, but also specialises in consumer insight for wider sectors, such as personal care and beauty. Sister company Sagentia is a product and technology development consultancy which has worked with brands including Unilever and Nu Skin.
