The beauty industry has witnessed a significant shift towards ethical and sustainable practices in recent years, with 64% of USA beauty consumers saying sustainability is very important when considering the purchase of a beauty product[2]. As consumer demand has grown, brands have been stepping up to create products with a sustainable focus, such as Lush’s packaging-free products and recycling policies.
Alongside this interest in sustainable beauty, veganism has emerged as one of the leading trends within the industry, as more and more consumers seek vegan products that match their beliefs around keeping the use of animals out of the manufacturing process.
With the growth of the vegan beauty movement over the past few years, The Vegan Society has experienced an increase in demand from cosmetic and toiletry brands to certify their products with the Vegan Trademark. making beauty our most certified industry, with over 30,000 products registered.
To cater to this growing demand, many brands have been quick to adopt vegan formulations and advertise their vegan credentials. However, there is some confusion around vegan terminology, as there is currently no legal definition of the word vegan, leading some companies to misunderstand what vegan means, and potentially labelling a product as vegan when it doesn’t necessarily meet the vegan standards of most vegan consumers.
This can make it challenging for consumers to discern genuine vegan products, which can have detrimental consequences for brands that fail to meet consumer expectations. This is where the Vegan Trademark emerges as a solution, giving shoppers peace of mind that products labelled as such meet The Vegan Society’s standards, and brands the confidence to shout about their credentials.
What is The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark?
The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark is an internationally recognised vegan certification that provides assurance to consumers that a product does not contain any animal or animal-derived ingredients and has not been tested on animals. The Vegan Society is the first and original vegan charity that promotes and supports veganism, aiming to make it more accessible and mainstream. Since its launch in 1990, The Vegan Trademark has been-granted to thousands of products worldwide, from food and drink to fashion and beauty. Currently, the Vegan Trademark has registered and certified over 30,000 cosmetics products worldwide, making it our biggest and strongest sector.
What are The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark Standards?
We understand that for a product to be vegan: The manufacture and/or development of the product, and its ingredients, must not involve or have involved, the use of any animal product, by-product or derivative and must not involve or have involved, testing of any sort on animals conducted at the initiative of the company or on its behalf, or by parties over whom the company has effective control.
You can learn more about our standards here
In 2021, we published an industry report about the vegan beauty industry in the UK, looking at the vegan beauty market and consumer trends and facts, by surveying a panel of UK consumers. As The Vegan Society expands its global presence, we strive to gain insights into veganism and vegan products worldwide. In response to an increase in consumer demand for vegan beauty products in the American market, the USA has become an important market for the Vegan Trademark and a considerable number of beauty products are registered with the Vegan Trademark today. Witnessing this growth, we present the second edition of our industry report, focusing exclusively on the USA.
The “Vegan Beauty Takeover: USA Edition” report sheds light on the growing prominence of veganism in the US beauty market. The report, titled "Vegan Takeover USA Edition", is a comprehensive analysis of the vegan beauty landscape in the US, and it’s based on a survey with a final panel composed of 1,000 people, nationally representative of working age for the USA, as well as data from industry sources and expert insights.
This report looks deeply into the various ways in which animals are used in beauty supply chains, from animal-derived ingredients to animal testing. In addition, there’s also clear guidance on The Vegan Society’s definitions of ‘vegan’ and ‘cruelty-free’ labelling, as well as historic and recent achievements for the Vegan Trademark certification scheme.
It’s a valuable resource for anyone interested in the US vegan beauty market, whether as a consumer, brand owner, or industry observer. By providing data-driven insights, it helps navigate the complex and evolving landscape of vegan beauty.
ACCESS THE VEGAN BEAUTY TAKEOVER USA EDITION REPORT HERE!
- 89.1% of the panel found it important that brands selling vegan cosmetics and toiletries have their vegan products certified by a third-party organisation (i.e., that they are externally audited, and consumers do not have to rely solely on the word of the brand/manufacturer.) Confusion and mistrust of the standards by which a brand might claim their product to be vegan are major barriers to consumer engagement, with many consumers unsure about the authenticity and credibility of vegan claims.
- 55.8% of the panel said they prefer the term “vegan”, when asked what term is more appealing to them as a consumer (and given a choice between “vegan” and “cruelty-free”).
- When asked about the meaning of “vegan” and “cruelty-free”, the results showed that there is work to be done by brands and businesses to bridge the gap in consumer understanding.
Download the full report here. Linked to it, there’s also the first version of the report, which is based on the data from a panel back in 2021. To learn more about the Vegan Trademark and how it can help your consumers be sure of your vegan credentials visit The Vegan Society's website here.
References
[1] MarketResearch.com: https://www.marketresearch.com/Magna-Intelligence-v4218/North-America-Vegan-Cosmetics-14403894/
[2] Global Cosmetics Industry: https://gcimagazine.texterity.com/gcimagazine/june_2022/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1794134&app=false#articleId1794134