According to a recent McKinsey research, Americans expect to spend less on skincare, cosmetics, and other personal care goods in the future than they did previously. Making good improvements in terms of sustainability is one method for cosmetic businesses to reclaim consumers, and packaging is a crucial battleground in the fight against environmental waste.
Each year, the cosmetics sector alone generates about 120 billion items of packaging.
The following are the top four eco-packaging trends you can expect to see in the beauty industry, which will help promote good change while also helping to develop brand reputation and profits:
Plastic Reduction
Despite changing global views, such as the EU’s ban on single-use plastics, the United States continues to create more plastic trash than any other country. However, societal views about plastic usage and waste are beginning to shift.
This has prompted several businesses to reconsider their package designs and try out new packaging materials. When it comes to innovative packaging materials, L’Oreal, the world’s largest cosmetics firm, is creating waves. SEED, a breakthrough brand from the cosmetics powerhouse, has items made completely of biodegradable or recyclable packaging, including a recycled corrugated paper container shell that won’t disintegrate in the shower. Designers may now use a variety of plastic alternatives, such as glass, card, pulp, and even maize, in their packaging.
Refilling and reusing
Single-use packaging may soon be obsolete, as more businesses invest in long-lasting packaging materials that customers can refill and reuse. Brands are devoting more time, effort, and money to developing main packaging that may serve as mementos for customers, which is especially important at the high-end of the cosmetics sector. Dove introduced their first refillable deodorant earlier this year. The business predicts that the product, which is made of 98 percent recycled plastic and has a lifetime usage warranty, would help decrease virgin plastic waste by 30 tonnes in the first year alone. Consumers can also benefit from cheaper prices for recurrent purchases of refills, as well as not having to pay for additional packaging or worry about how to dispose of discarded packaging.
Make the most of minimalism
In the cosmetics sector, minimalist packaging design is already a rising trend, with firms aiming to catch customers’ attention with simple designs that express a powerful, targeted message while decreasing waste. The Ordinary, a British skincare company, is making waves with its clinical and simple box design. Customers like the honesty of a product that performs precisely what it says on the box and does not try to distract them with flashy colors, fancy wording, or cumbersome packaging. Aside from the marketing benefits of minimalist package design, choosing neutral colors and eco-friendly materials can make it easier for customers to recycle unwanted packaging, therefore helping a brand’s environmental initiatives.It aids in the elimination of mixed materials, which make recycling difficult and confusing for the user.
Less greenwashing.
Consumers will quickly catch on to greenwashing, or the act of presenting the image of sustainability by misleading or obscuring environmental problems, if brands are unwilling to back up their eco-friendly promises. Greenwashing might be damaging to a company’s reputation, since consumers are more aware of environmental concerns and want corporations to hold themselves accountable. This has resulted in decreased brand confidence, customer boycotts, and even litigation. After being sued in 2016 for misleading claims that their goods included “natural ingredients,” The Honest Firm lost a multi-million dollar agreement with Unilever to a competing eco-friendly household products company. Greenwashing may be harmful to the environment, in addition to having a negative influence on organizations’ financial lines. Consumers who believe that the goods they purchase will not affect the environment are tricked into supporting the same behaviors they set out to avoid, adding to the problem.
Cosmetic businesses may entice customers back and earn their loyalty in a post-Covid competitive market by adopting packaging that addresses these four elements.
Are you looking for sustainable cosmetic packaging?
From Molpack our aim is to design and manufacture the best solutions that also reduce the environmental impact. That is why we believe in investing in innovation so we can keep on developing sustainable solutions that are:
• 100% recyclable
• More lightweight
• Reusable
You can visit our complete catalogue here, or contact us if you need help to choose the right solution for your cosmetic product.
If you have any questions on how to choose the perfect package for your product, you can always contact our team of experts to help you create the best presentation for your product and align the package with your brand values.
