According to a new NATRUE study about consumer attitudes to ‘naturalness’, brand perception and certification in the beauty market, approximately 90% of consumers would be happy to pay more for a certified cosmetic product.
In addition, the NATRUE study – which surveyed over 2,000 consumers in France and Germany about conventional, ‘nature-inspired’ and certified natural/organic beauty brands – discovered that in Germany, where the organic beauty market is firmly established, 37% of consumers had used a natural/organic cosmetic in the last six months, compared to 27% in France.
In Germany, ‘naturalness’ accounted for 20% of the decision-making process and while the percentage is slightly higher in France (24%), the use of nature-inspired brands in the latter market was found to be more than double that of authentically natural brands.
Consumers in both markets find it increasingly difficult to differentiate between ‘nature-inspired’ products (greenwashing) and truly ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ cosmetics
And although consumers seem increasingly confused about the variety of claims, logos and seals in the sector – with 61% (Germany) and 71% (France) not thinking labels alone are sufficient to indicate if a product is really natural – more than half of participants relied on certifications when buying natural beauty products.
When asked their opinion on six main aspects that influence purchasing decisions – natural/organic ingredients; free-from claims; sustainability; fair trade; packaging/waste; and animal welfare – both sets of consumers said 100% natural/organic ingredients was most important, closely followed by animal welfare. A product being vegan was more relevant to French consumers, while products without microplastics was a priority for German consumers.
Commenting on the findings, Ana Ledesma, NATRUE Communications Officer, says: “Consumers in both markets find it increasingly difficult to differentiate between ‘nature-inspired’ products (greenwashing) and truly ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ cosmetics that provide verifiable guarantees for such claims. According to our study, 90% of consumers would be happy to pay more for a certified cosmetic, and over half of consumers rely on certifications when selecting natural beauty products.”
