The Body Shop has revealed that it has achieved 100 percent vegan product formulations across all ranges including skin care, body care, hair care, makeup and fragrance, in what is claims is a world first.
The retailer’s entire portfolio, spanning more than 4,000 ingredients, has been validated by The Vegan Society, meaning that more than 1,000 Body Shop products will carry the organization’s Vegan Trademark.
The beauty retailer, which operates around 2,500 locations worldwide, has achieved a target set itself in 2021 when 60 percent of its products were Vegan Society-approved.
Ian Bickley, chief executive officer at The Body Shop, said the retailer had worked “tirelessly” to achieve what he describes as a “huge milestone.”
“We were the first beauty company to fight against animal testing in cosmetics,” he said. “We were the first major global beauty brand to use cruelty-free musk in our fragrances. We have now achieved another global first.”
The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark is widely recognized as the global standard for vegan products, helping users identify that more than 65,000 certified products free from animal ingredients and animal testing.
Chantelle Adkins, director of business development at The Vegan Society, said that assessing The Body Shop’s entire portfolio had been a “massive project” which showcased the retailer’s commitment and dedication to vegan beauty. “We hope that this significant step sets a global standard for other beauty brands to follow and inspires further change to reduce animal use and exploitation across the industry,” she said.
Although as of December all of The Body Shop’s current product formulas have been certified vegan, it is possible that old, discontinued formulations which have not been certified will still be present in the market as they are being sold through.
The announcement comes both at the start of the annual Veganuary campaign and as the vegan cosmetics industry is predicted to reach $24 billion value by 2028 and with over 1-in-10 young people saying that “vegan” is an important factor in their health and beauty purchase decisions.