Veganism is often considered solely in terms of food and diet, but vegan beauty is one of the fastest growing industries with consumers globally. Over the last decade, veganism has gained significant traction worldwide; the number of vegans in the UK quadrupled between 2014 and 2019, while 13% of consumers across Asia identified as vegan in 2021.1
When it comes to beauty, this trend extends beyond vegans, as many non-vegan consumers are turning to ‘vegan’ products- those that have been manufactured without animal ingredients or animal testing. To give an idea of the potential size of the market, in the UK, 40% of women who always buy vegan beauty products are not vegan. Unsurprisingly, this demand has created remarkable growth, with vegan cosmetic launches globally increasing by 175% between 2014 and 2019.
What is ethical and vegan beauty?
Ethical beauty considers a brand’s environmental and social impact, including the ingredients used, sourcing practices and supply chain conditions. Of course, ‘ethical’ is a very broad term; it can mean lots of things that aren’t immediately clear to consumers. In a world of ever-increasing regulation designed to avoid misleading claims, it’s crucial for a brand to define what it means when it describes itself as ‘ethical’. The term ‘plant-based,’ much like ‘ethical’, is an ambiguous term that can mean different things to different audiences. For example, ‘plant-based’ could refer to a product that is composed primarily of plant-based ingredients but could also include animal-derived ingredients and have been subjected to animal testing.
Unlike ‘vegan,’ it is not a globally recognizable term and may lack consistency across markets, which is why ‘vegan’ can be such an important term for consumers. Just like ‘ethical’ and ‘plant-based,’ there is no legal definition of the term, but it has a universally accepted meaning, set by The Vegan Society in 19442. As part of The Vegan Society and as the world’s largest third-party vegan certification scheme, the Vegan Trademark has a clear and strict set of standards, when it comes to its vegan certification scheme. For a product to meet vegan trademark standards it must not contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products, including within the processing. Strict cross-contamination regulations must be in place and no testing on animals.
Consumers demands for ethical beauty
As consumers increasingly look to support brands that reflect their personal values, ‘cruelty-free’ has come to the forefront. For many, animal testing is unacceptable. Research from The Fund for Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments shows that 84% of UK shoppers would avoid products if they knew they or their ingredients had been tested on animals3. And while we may think
of Gen Z as being the primary purchasers of vegan cosmetics, ‘cruelty-free’ is very much an important driver across nearly all generations. According to The Vegan
Society, 71% of UK women aged 45 and over want to see more vegan options across all cosmetic and toiletry products4.
In the beauty industry, the terms ‘cruelty-free’ and ‘vegan’ are often used interchangeably, but they do have differing definitions. ‘Cruelty-free’ refers to products which have not been tested on animals and are not sold in areas where post-market animal testing is required by law. However, ‘cruelty-free’ does not address whether the ingredients in a product are derived from animals. While many parts of the world have banned animal testing for cosmetics, exceptions still exist. In the USA, the largest single market for vegan beauty, there is no national ban on animal testing. This presents a real opportunity for brands to talk about their ethical credentials through clear and consistent messaging. It is important to understand this isn’t a niche trend driven only by vegan consumers, but by a wide demographic of purchasers looking to ensure their products do not involve animal ingredients or testing. Developing a well-defined range of vegan cosmetics presents brands with a huge opportunity to grow their customer base.
Products labeled as ‘vegan’ exclude both animal testing during development and post-market, while also ensuring that no animal products or by-products are included in the ingredients list. Consumers are increasingly taking notice that the vegan label has a wider definition of the use of animals in the manufacturing of cosmetics. The Vegan Society’s own research showed that 60% of consumers found the term ‘vegan’ more appealing than ‘cruelty-free’ when shopping for cosmetics and toiletries as it signifies a more extensive list of criteria to follow.
The USA is the single largest consumer of vegan cosmetics in the world, with the market set to be worth
4.1 billion USD by 2027. With animal testing currently banned in only 12 of the 50 states, clear labeling and
messaging is crucial. The Vegan Society’s research demonstrates that 89% of USA consumers believe that brands should certify their vegan products with a third-party
certifier such as the Vegan Trademark. As such, there is a clear need for brands to make trusted and verified claims to win over consumers in this competitive market. Not only do consumers want to avoid animal testing and products in their cosmetics but they also want to see brands take extra steps to reassure their customers of their vegan credentials.5
References:
1 Research and Markets, Global Vegan Cosmetics Market Outlook, 2028, (May 2023). 2 UK Data Service: https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study 3 New Nutrition Business: https://www.new-nutrition.com/keytrend 4 Marketing Week: https://www.marketingweek.com/how-conscious-consumers-are-driving-vegan-beauty/ 5 Cosmetify.com 6 FRAME: https://frame.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/FRAME-report_final.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2E_FFnjsihptfFOeL2Wq9C81tgJWip6yALOoVVNs7LoEqm0eLN6QLPmqA 7 The Vegan Society: https://www.vegansociety.com/sites/default/files/uploads/downloads/Vegan%20Beauty%20Takeover%202021_2.pdf
Karen Spinner
Sales and Marketing Manager,
Vegan Trademark,
www.vegansociety.com/the-vegan-trademark
More information: www.in-cosmetics.com