Could it be The End of “FREE-FROM” Claims and The Start of more Transparency?
As a FIT alumn, We were super happy to read about the Survey by the Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management Graduate Program’s 2018. “How the Beauty Industry Can Answer the Consumer Demand for Transparency”. Here are some facts that we would like to share from the survey transparency in beauty.
Consumers around the world are demanding transparency in beauty regarding every facet of their lives. This is manifested in our political climate, in the fast-changing world of advertising, in our fixation on natural and organic foods—and, increasingly, in the call from consumers for transparency in beauty. But what does “transparent beauty” really mean? Is it a call for clean cosmetics? Is it a demand for insight into how our beauty companies source their innovations and run their business? Or something else entirely?
To reach their conclusions, the 2018 CFMM graduate students examined data, conducted extensive global research, designed and fielded the 2018 FIT Transparency Perception Assessment Survey, and interviewed industry executives.
💡Pro tip: Clean Beauty icons can help increase transparency of your brand, find out more here
The proprietary survey discovered that consumers crave communication, accountability, and values from both brands and beauty industry employers. Lack of transparency is impeding the consumer path to purchase as well as the employee pursuit of purpose.
72 % of consumers want a brand to explain what the ingredients do.
42 % of respondents feel that they do not get enough information from brands on ingredient safety.
60+ % of consumers want brands to identify sources for ingredients.
74 % of consumers agree to share their data if they are getting something in return.
The beauty industry is 72 % more likely to rank company culture as the top reason for employment over the general population.
55 % of participants within the beauty industry said they do not have enough clarity or information about career progression. This is two times the rate of the general population.
Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash
Consumers seek to know more about the what, where, and how of their beauty products. An additional annex – Annex III, ‘Free from’ claims, was recently added to EC Regulation No. 655/2013. Effective July 2019, claims to highlight the absence of substances will be regulated and restricted. A big part of this change is highly relevant for preservatives. “Parabens-Free” claims, for example, will no longer be allowed, and “Preservatives Free” is also in question.
This is to eliminate false claims made by brands and ensure better quality transparency in beauty. If these claims are found on every product, which ones are telling the truth?
Most products today contain, mostly for marketing purposes, one or more of the following categories of claims:
Claims characterizing ingredients or product functions (e.g. ‘anti-aging);
Claims related to the product’s efficacy (e.g. ‘total block sunscreen’);
Claims highlighting the absence of substances (e.g. ‘fragrance-free’);
Claims addressing skin compatibility of the product (e.g. ‘hypoallergenic’, ‘for sensitive skin’);
Claims addressing health or additional benefits other than the cosmetic purpose
On 3 July 2017, annex III, ‘Free from’ claims, was added to EC No. 655/2013 and should be applied as of 1 July 2019.
As a third-party software provider, our consultation is and will always be independent and only highlighting and answering questions your customers ask. Today, we have taken a quick look at the importance of such claims and the requests for “free-from” information in Skin Care:
50% are looking for paraben-free products
30% are looking for alcohol-free products
28% are looking for fragrance-free products
25% are looking for pigment-free products
Help your customers find what they are looking for fast and seamlessly with all the information they need.
About FIT
The FIT Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management (CFMM) program, one of seven advanced degree programs in FIT’s School of Graduate Studies, was developed in collaboration with industry as a leadership development program for outstanding mid-career executives. Global luxury firms including Chanel, Shiseido, Estée Lauder, and LVMH, and global consumer packaged goods companies including Coty, L’Oréal, and Unilever, nominate talented emerging executives to participate in the two-year program. The CFMM program has become the beauty industry’s recognized think tank, producing high-level research presented to industry executives and organizations, and during specialized panels, symposia, and forums in both academia and industry. Visit fitnyc.edu/cfmm.
Cheri Fein
Executive Director of Public and Media Relations
(212) 217-4700; press@fitnyc.edu
SOURCE Fashion Institute of Technology
