Euromonitor on the rise of the ‘eco-worrier’ and what it means for beauty

In the report ‘Eco Worriers: global green behaviour and market impact’,​ the market research firm outlined the fact that green, environmental concerns have well and truly now entered the mainstream.

“Green issues are no longer the territory of the outlier, no longer a niche area only of interest to a specific demographic: they are issues that affect and influence all of us, the young and the old, men and women, rich and poor, from both the developed and developing worlds,”​ the report explains.

“The idea that “environmentalism” as an isolate concept is outdated, and that green concerns should instead just be a part of the way that we all live is gaining traction.”​

Who is the beauty eco-worrier?​

According to the Euromonitor report, beauty consumers are turning to green products and brands in large part because of the sister trend of ‘clean’, safe products which are “gentle on the skin”.​

The firm notes that the trend spans segments and levels, from organic products through to those which are “loosely viewed as ‘natural’”,​ touching all price points from premium brands through to independent ones.

Eco-positioned beauty, the firm observes, tend to be particularly successful when primarily viewed as premium, clinical or pharmacy brands, and secondarily seen as green.

“Effectiveness is primary. Clarins, for example, markets itself as natural and promoting strong sustainability values, but these are secondary to its being positioned as a clinical, high quality brand.”​

Which regions?​

In terms of the geographic distribution of the trend, eco-worriers are definitely a global consumer group, however, within beauty, a particular emphasis is being seen across Asia, according to Euromonitor.

This is being driven by the fact that in Asia, there is a high level of interest and concern around ingredients safety and also an emphasis on traditional beauty and medicine systems.

“This has led to the development of a number of brands that embrace these basic concepts and elevate them to a premium and environmentally friendly level, such as AmorePacific’s Innisfree (South Korea), which is marketed as a natural brand that uses local ingredients from Jeju Island and eco-friendly packaging.​”

Halal beauty is another major trend that, though motivated by different concerns (cultural and religious), still promotes and popularises the naturals trend due to its ‘permissible’ ingredients being largely the same as those found in naturals products.​ This was a trend picked out by speakers at the recent in-cosmetics Korea industry event. ​