Natural & organic products are now established in the cosmetics industry. Organic Monitor research finds the market share of such products has exceeded 5% in some countries such as the US and Germany.

Consumer appetite for ‘all things natural’ has led to a growing number of food ingredients to make their way in cosmetic applications. The knock-on effect of this development is ethical food labels becoming present on cosmetic products, especially in North America.

Non-GMO Project Verified is the fastest growing ethical label on American cosmetic products. Within a few years, the adoption rate of the ‘butterfly seal’ has grown from nothing to about 500 personal care products. Brands are putting the Non-GMO Project Verified label on their products to assure consumers know genetically modified ingredients are in their products.

Gluten-free is another label gaining traction on cosmetic products. With one in ten Americans suffering from food allergies or sensitivity, a growing demographic is looking for certified gluten-free products.

However, natural and organic remain the most popular ethical labels for cosmetics. NPA, NSF ANSI 305 and the USDA NOP – another label designed for food products – are the most widely used.

Ethical labels are crossing over from the food to the cosmetics industry because of transparency. Consumers are demanding the same level of traceability and safety from cosmetic products as they are getting from natural & organic foods. The issue is proliferation: there are over 200 ethical labels in the food industry. Does the cosmetics industry need so many ethical labels?

I will give an update on the global market for natural & organic cosmetics at in-Cosmetics on 13 April. I hope to see you there!

Seminar details: http://www.in-cosmetics.com/en/Sessions/18271/Natural-Organic-Cosmetics-Global-Update-Future-Outlook?sId=18271

Link to http://www.in-cosmetics.com/en/Contributors/507441/Amarjit-Sahota