As concerns around the environment and sustainability continue to grow and evolve, the onus is not just on the end user anymore and consumers are pushing back for bigger changes from companies to help move the needle faster on the big issues like climate change.
 
While 55% of beauty users are very concerned with the environmental impact of the brands/products they use, they also tend to push responsibility away from themselves. Twice as many U.S. consumers (34%) believe companies should do more to protect the environment than they can do personally (15%). Additionally, 23% of U.S. consumers believe skin and hair care companies should be responsible for protecting the environment (data from Mintel 2021 Sustainability Barometer).
 
It is important for brands/manufacturers to make their sustainability goals and impacts clear and tangible for consumers, helping them to make the most informed purchase decisions. Companies can amplify their messaging, providing clear differentiators as well as key information and instructions to help consumers justify trading up to a more green or ethical brand or product.
 
An area where BPC product manufacturers could easily improve is with on-pack messaging related to eco-responsible packaging. Globally, while just 23% of BPC introductions in 2021 included some type of claim related to environmentally responsible packaging, the vast majority of those claims were on, and only referred to, secondary packaging. This lack of eco-related messaging/instructions on primary packs often leaves BPC consumers confused about what to do with glass, aluminum, and plastic tubes, cans, bottles, and even pouches,  which often include mixed material components that cannot be separated for recycling or proper disposal.
 
The more information that brands and manufacturers can provide upfront for the consumer, the more likely they are to purchase from greener companies that they view as proactively helping achieve those bigger sustainability goals such as reducing reliance on single-use plastics and helping to combat climate change.