Sub-Zero Waste

2019 GLOBAL BEAUTY AND

PERSONAL CARE TREND
A new
dawn is fast
approaching
for beauty and
personal care.
04 05

Why you WHAT IS THE TREND?

If brands don’t change their approach
now, they won’t exist in the future.

must act Beauty and personal care (BPC)

businesses must switch to a whole
new paradigm in terms of sustainability

now.
and zero waste. Some companies are
already discussing totally circumventing
packaging. This is not just a trend,
it is a movement.

WHAT YOU SHOULD

DO ABOUT IT
Gaining the first-mover advantage
is key. The companies that put current
profits ahead of investment in zero-
waste solutions will lose out in the long
term. Indie brands already have an
edge, as they have built their business
practices around ethics. High-profit BPC
brands that aren’t investing in this area
are already condemning themselves.

HOW YOU CAN LEAD

THE MOVEMENT
Being sustainable doesn’t mean
compromising on quality or luxury.
Innovate and be clever with upcycling
concepts, refills, and product-life
extensions. Be transparent to create a
better relationship with consumers and
provide them with the guidance and
education to make changes.
06
YOUR CUSTOMERS
DEMAND ACTION
This is not just a trend; it’s a
movement towards a ground-shaking
new archetype for the industry.
Some BPC companies are already
discussing completely removing
packaging from the equation. If
brands don’t change their approach
now, they will become insignificant.
What is
The first-mover advantage is key to
achieving success and brands that
place current profits ahead of making
the necessary investment in zero-
the trend?
waste will not be around in the future.
07
Native brands already have the upper
hand as they have built their business
practices around ethics. Larger
brands, who are moving as slow as oil
tankers, must think about becoming
speedboats to catch up with smaller,
more nimble competitors.
Your customers are paying a lot
more attention to their impact on
the planet and climate change calls
are more drastic than ever before.
A bigger-picture focus is needed
throughout the beauty and personal
care industry supply chain for a true
zero-waste mentality.
08 09

This is not
just a trend;
it’s a movement
towards a
ground-shaking
new archetype
for the industry.
10
IT’S THE DAWN OF A
TOTAL LIFESTYLE SHIFT
As waste reduction becomes more evident in
day-to-day lives, more global consumers will
scrutinise their beauty routines.
44% of US natural/organic
personal care consumers, who
buy a mix of mainstream and
natural/organic brands, say
they live sustainably.
54% of Brazilians who are potential
buyers of green/ethical products
say they purchase sustainable/
environmentally friendly goods
because they don’t like to waste.
54% of UK beauty and
personal care consumers
often research products
online before they buy them.
74% of beauty and personal
care consumers in Spain
are concerned that the
ingredients used in natural
products are not sustainable.
11
58% of Chinese Mintropolitans*
agree they are willing to pay more
for ethical brands.
*Mintropolitans are broadly defined by Mintel as
those who represent a significant, sophisticated
consuming group (aged 20-49) who pursue
quality of life rather than just wealth, are well
educated, and are the potential trendsetters.
24% of Indian consumers are
motivated/would be motivated to
live a more ‘natural’ lifestyle
to support environmentally
conscious businesses.`
Source: Mintel
12 13

REFILLING,
REPURPOSING,
RECYCLING AND
REINVENTING
Sustainability is ‘Fast beauty’ There are new
in the spotlight is slowing demands on brands
More people are BPC consumers Brands must be more
questioning brands are seeking more environmentally
on their eco-ethical straightforward, simple responsible and must
practices, yet efforts beauty routines, be transparent about
to change are still
limited. This has
and there will be a
backlash against
their practices, but
consumers must More people
created an opportunity brands that purposely also take some
for brands to make
money. But a quick fix
create limited shelf life
products, or encourage
accountability. Many
people want to help, are questioning
won’t do; brands need overconsumption. but aren’t sure how, so
a long-term strategy
that considers every
There is scope to
create products that
brands can win loyalty
by using education brands on their
element of the supply can be reinvented, and offering simple
chain. Just one weak
link could undermine
not replaced, and
opportunity for new
solutions. These provide
a feel-good factor and eco-ethical
any good intentions. formats and packaging save consumers
that support longer-
lasting or transformative
money and time.
practices, yet
products.

efforts to change
are still limited.
14 15

What you
should do
about it.
16
THE PRIMARY
PLEDGES
Native brands such as
Ethique, Lamazuna,
LOLI Beauty and Seed
Phytonutrients have
built their businesses on
environmental policies.
Because of this, these
smaller brands can be
more aggressive and
have a stronger viewpoint.
Bigger brands, on the
other hand, need to make
themselves a part of the
movement and, better
yet, get ahead of
the conversation.
Ethique (Australia) is “on
a mission to eradicate the
world of plastic waste and we
want you to be a part of it”
(via Instagram @ethiqueusa).
17
Smaller beauty brands can
be more aggressive and
have a stronger viewpoint;
bigger brands need to
make themselves a part
of the movement and get
ahead of the conversation.
Lamazuna (France) is an
organic, vegan, zero waste
cosmetics and personal
care brand, featuring
handmade products (via
Instagram @ethiqueusa).
LOLI Beauty (US)
is 100% waterless,
packaged in reusable
glass jars, and the
first personal care
brand to be a member
of Made In A Free
World, a technology
platform that helps
brands assess the risk
of people trafficking in
their supply chain
(via Instagram
@LOLIbeauty).
18 19
Consumers
expect brands to
take responsibility
for their waste.
Procter & Gamble commits
to introducing 25% recycled
plastic across 500 million
haircare bottles in 2018
(via headandshoulders.com).

Seed Phytonutrients (US)

believes it’s their responsibility
to lead the way and promote
environmental sustainability for
the beauty industry as a whole
(via seedphytonutrients.com).

Unilever and L’Oréal

Adopters like Unilever
and L’Oréal have both
pledged to use 100%
recyclable, reusable,
and compostable plastic
by 2025. The Procter
& Gamble Company
has committed to
introducing 25%
recycled plastic across
500 million haircare
bottles in 2018.
Meanwhile, Avon has
already achieved 95%
of its goal to send zero
waste to landfill.
This affects all corners
of the world: in 2018,
China banned 24 types
of imported waste and
stopped accepting items
that had previously been
sent there for disposal.
pledge to use 100%
Consumers expect recyclable, reusable and
brands to take compostable plastic by
2025 (via Unilever.com).
responsibility for
their waste, and
will be attracted
to manufacturers,
companies, and brands
that not only do so, but
also facilitate waste
reduction processes
for consumers.
20 21

Listen
carefully
to why your
customers
want a
zero-waste
lifestyle.
22 23

CONSUMERS WANT A INNOVATE... AND BE

PART OF THE MOVEMENT
ZERO-WASTE LIFESTYLE As the new dawn movement. Be a driving

AND HERE’S WHY

It’s top of the
news agenda: your
customers may
have seen and/or
experienced:
›› The Great Pacific Garbage
Patch, aka a ‘trash island’
floating between Hawaii
and California.
›› tsunamis, floods and
hurricanes decimating
communities.
›› wildlife injured by plastic
waste/pollution.
for zero-waste and force: take big steps and
La Bouche Rouge Paris
sustainable beauty share your passion to features reusable/refillable
becomes more change the world. packaging made from
leather (via Instagram
‘fashionable’, brands @laboucherougeparis).
that do not address it
It allows them will become off-putting
to make a difference: to the growing group of
consumers don’t think of it as an ‘all-or- ethical consumers.
nothing’ decision. They are taking their own
steps to reduce waste, progressing into a Your customers will
more environmentally conscious lifestyle. respond better if you are
leading the conversation
and at the forefront
It saves It inspires of innovation for this
money: others:
people are reducing as more people make
their cost of living, the move to zero
growing their own waste, their efforts
food, using reusable will inspire others to
containers and follow, particularly as
making their not recycling becomes
own products. a social faux pas.

›› melting icebergs. It’s healthier:

some are seeking out natural
›› dwindling natural solutions due to ‘scare stories’
water resources. they read about certain chemical
24 25

HOW FAST IS THIS

HAPPENING IN
YOUR REGION?

NOW 5 YEARS 10 YEARS

Emerging (still on Mainstreaming Established

the fringe or front end) (gaining wider traction) (hitting a plateau)

LOW ACTIVITY HIGH ACTIVITY LOW ACTIVITY HIGH ACTIVITY LOW ACTIVITY HIGH ACTIVITY
26 27

How you
can lead the
movement.
28 29

BE CLEVER:
MAKE IT SEAMLESS
Innovate for a Support with
‘waste-free’ routine education and
In 2019, consumers will initiatives
continue to focus on Brands must fully
considerately packaged educate customers
Garnier partnered
products, but will also on the part they play with TerraCycle and
be drawn to brands that within the zero-waste DoSomething.org in
the US to highlight
place a wider focus on concept. Brands can the importance of
reducing waste. Creating assist consumers post- beauty recycling
(via garnierusa.com).
new ‘end purpose’ purchase, informing
packaging concepts, them on packaging
ancillary products for disposal, and offering
storing and transporting upcycling schemes. The
zero-packaged products, pop-up retail model will
as well as adding ‘waste- also need to transform
free’ beauty treatments, away from its current
will appeal. disposable image.

In 2019, consumers will

continue to focus on
considerately packaged
products, but will also
be drawn to brands
that place a wider focus
on reducing waste.
30 31
PIONEER ‘CLEVER
LUXURY’, BUT AVOID
THE NEXT BACKLASH
As a spotlight is of the supply chain The zero-waste
currently being shone from an ethical
on the fast-fashion and environmental
concept is
industry, there is a standpoint. at odds with
movement towards the prestige
circularity – allowing Overall, the zero-waste segment of
products/materials concept is at odds with
to be recovered, the traditional luxurious
the beauty
regenerated, and image of the beauty industry; this
reused, rather than industry, especially for calls for a whole
Via cosmeticsdesign-asia.com
disposed of. prestige brands, so this new definition
calls for a whole new
BPC brands should definition of ‘luxury’.
of ‘luxury’.
Offer supply be inspired by this,
chain security but must ensure
Advancing technologies the processes used
such as blockchain to create refillable,
will allow consumers reusable, or repurposed
to scrutinise the entire products won’t end up
manufacturing process, being more toxic for
bringing a ‘nose-to-tail’ the environment in
approach to ingredients. the long term.
Inspiration can be taken
from emerging markets
Via blockchain.com

When devising
that have a cultural alternative solutions,
aversion to waste. consider every part
Modernising retail models
will allow stock control to

Via lush.com
streamline waste.
32 33

A WHITE SPACE FOR UPCYCLING

US-based online retail to resale, allowing BPC brands currently
site Glambot offers consumers to sell items offer consumers the
consumers a space they don’t use without chance to upcycle their
to buy and sell used guilt of waste, and products, creating white
A programme from
Pacifica upcycles empty beauty products. The allowing buyers to enjoy space for innovative
bottles into other BPC brand verifies and luxury products at lower brands to take
items, like toothbrushes
sterilises products prior prices. But very few advantage of.
and razors (via Instagram
@pacificabeauty).
Beauty and personal
care brands that offer
refills need to maintain
post-sale contact
with customers and
provide information
about how their new
solutions are reducing
waste. Implementing
a returns scheme,
allowing customers to
return packaging they
do not wish to refill, and
exploring refurbished
cosmetics in returned
packaging at a reduced
cost can ensure
sustainability goals
are met.

Kjaer Weis reusable/

US-based online retailer refillable packaging is
Glambot offers consumers a made from high-end
space to buy and sell used metal (via Instagram
cosmetics (via glambot.com). @kjaerweis).
34 35
SUB-ZERO WASTE INDEX
Examples of products and 2/ Blockchain growth
services available now. will publicise lifecycle
Consumers also
demand knowledge of
a product’s creation.
Beauty companies can
leverage blockchain
and crypto-anchor
technology to validate
a product journey from
source to skin, while also
combating the issue of
counterfeit products
(via blockchain.com).

3 / New retail
brings new flexibility
As pop-up stores are
a continuing retail
trend, brands need to
ensure these settings
are created/removed
1 / New actives sourced with waste-derived in an environmentally
from throwaways actives make it to responsible way. Use
Ogilvy Paris x Etat market, consumers will projection instead of
Libre d’Orange I AM become more focussed printing and adapt to,
TRASH helps consumers on complete supply rather than change,
visualise waste in new chain sustainability (via the surrounding space
ways. As more products etatlibredorange.com). (via scmp.com).
36 37

5 / Packaging can
have an after-use
Miller Harris
Forage Fragrances
are presented in a
recycled plastic tray,
not a traditional
box, designed to be
repurposed for storing
jewellery or small items.
(via millerharris.com).

6 / Repair, don’t waste

Moon Mousse Magic
Makeup Repair Kit offers
a solution for broken
or cracked palettes,
repairing products to
reduce waste. Suitable
4 / Extend a natural ingredients, the for multiple products,
product’s life product aims to reduce including eyeshadows,
Gotha Second Chance plastic consumption bronzers, blush and
Mascara Drops extends by preventing the highlighters, the kit has
the life of any mascara, need to discard a patent-pending
refreshing a drying mascaras so often (via formula (via Instagram
formula. Made from 98% gothacosmetics.com). @moonmousse).
Get ahead of the
conversation
with Mintel. Defining the trends that matter
for today’s beauty industry.

There’s no doubt that ‘Sub-Zero Waste’ will

transform the beauty and personal care
industry over the next five years and will
evolve in ways even we can’t predict over the
next decade, but what else is on our radar?

There’s plenty on the horizon. If you’re a

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of all Mintel’s new beauty trend predictions.
If you’re not a Mintel client, please get in
touch to be a part of the future of beauty and
personal care. We’d love to hear from you.

Mintel’s Global Beauty & Personal Care Team

MINTEL BEAUTY & PERSONAL CARE mintel.com

42
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