Vegan products and ingredients are growing in importance in the chemicals and cosmetics industry. Veganuary is timely reminder of the support and importance of these market shifts. There is an expectancy to provide more vegan cosmetics without substituting quality or value. This shift from niche to mainstream has been boosted by demand for more healthy and natural lifestyles, especially since the pandemic.
A common misconception is the vegan consumer makes up a small part of customer segments, however, a large segment of vegan product consumers are neither vegan nor vegetarian. In the UK, 1/3 of women consuming vegan cosmetics are not vegan. Furthermore, 55% of British cosmetic consumers are even demanding more vegan products. This growing vegan cosmetic demand moves past a January trend and is booming in Europe beyond a trend or niche, but what qualifies as ‘vegan’ in cosmetics?
Companies looking to produce vegan cosmetic products need to ensure:
- They don’t include any direct animal products or components
- All materials acquired and processes used feature no animal testing in any capacity
- All materials acquired and processes used are animal cruelty-free
- Any materials, components, and machines used in the process or acquired for the production must be free of any traces of animals or animal by-products.
Another important aspect of this is producing more naturally-derived products and moving away from unsustainable processes that damage animal wildlife, such as unsustainable palm oil. However, this can be easier said than done for consumer. Cosmetics ingredient lists can often feature ingredients that are difficult to remember and many, such as Lanolin, are non-vegan ingredients that are hard to recognise. 43% of British cosmetic consumers are not confident in identifying vegan and non-vegan ingredients, so it is important to distinguish this clearly.
Rectifying this can help tap into the growing global market. It is difficult to source products, materials, production et. and it comes with costs and for this, even more specifications and checks for products.
Fortunately, Libra can offer a high-quality product and personal care range for your plants that meet vegan requirements and more. This includes:
- Vegan, cruelty-free & animal-testing free product portfolio
- A dedicated personal care range of vegan products ready for use.
- RSPCO Certification across all processes including environmental management
- Increasing range of naturally derived, biodegradable and mild/low in toxicity product range
- Speciality , Vegan Low-Salt Betaine range that is natural, mild and can be used to reduce the presence of other non-vegan materials in formulations.
Libra’s vegan product range can help expand a product portfolio this Veganuary and beyond without substituting quality or value, this direct substitution is growing in importance and necessity in the personal care market.
Check out our personal care brochure attached or contact our team directly to prepare for the growing vegan cosmetics market!