Sustainable development has become paramount in various domains, including the beauty and personal-care industry, whose companies must shift to a whole new paradigm and consider every aspect of the supply chain in pursuing zero waste and sustainability.
So-called Sub-Zero Waste will impact the global beauty and personal-care markets in 2019 and in coming years, according to market-intelligence agency Mintel.
"It's not just a trend; Sub-Zero Waste is a movement towards a ground-shaking new archetype for the beauty and personal-care industry," said Sharon Kwek, Mintel's senior innovation and insights analyst.
"Some companies are already discussing completely removing packaging from the equation. Whether reducing or eliminating waste altogether, if brands don't change their approach now, they will become insignificant. Brands that place current profits ahead of making the necessary investment in zero waste and sustainability will not be around in the future."
The zero-waste philosophy is gaining momentum as more and more consumers are affected by natural disasters and dwindling natural-water resources. Better-informed consumers will no longer tolerate egregious waste like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a direct consequence of years of indiscriminate abuse of single-use plastics.
However, focusing efforts on reducing packaging is not enough, and out-of-the-box thinking is required at every stage of the beauty supply chain.
"Some indie brands have the upper hand with regard to sustainable beauty, as they have built their business practices around ethics and environmentally-friendly practices," Kwek noted. "Larger brands must adopt new practices in order to catch up with these smaller, more nimble competitors."
Over the next five years, sustainability will reach new heights as environmentally conscious consumers look for ways to reduce waste in all aspects of their lives, including their beauty and personal-care routines.
Likewise, they will demand brands to be more environmentally responsible and take accountability for their actions.
"Consumers today 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," she said.
