In France, nearly 4 tonnes of cosmetics, or 150 dump trucks, are thrown away every day. This figure communicated by the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) allows us to become aware of the extent of cosmetic waste. Who is responsible and what measures are being taken to raise consumer awareness?
Cosmetic waste, in a few figures
In 2020, the IFOP conducted a study to determine the extent of cosmetic waste in France. 2 women aged at least 000 were the focus of the survey. Around half of them say they have stopped consuming a product that has not yet been finished. 18% of them do it regularly.
The same study provided an estimate of the quantity of cosmetics thrown away: 4 tonnes per day. This is equivalent to 150 dump trucks of products thrown into the trash. Among them, tubes of cream, moisturizing maskss or even deodorant. It appears that cosmetic waste remains considerable despite the growing popularity of solid formats.
Why are so many products thrown away?
French women would have several reasons to stop using a product and throw it away:
- Ineffectiveness: the product seems not to have borne fruit, or the result remains unsatisfactory, despite numerous applications;
- Overconsumption: sales and promotion periods can encourage compulsive purchases. The consumer then finds himself with a surplus of products;
- The attraction of new products: consumers abandon their old cosmetics, even though they can still be used.
- Unsuitable products: treatments that have caused allergic reactions or irritation are inevitably relegated.
How to fight against cosmetic waste?
· Give a second life to a cosmetic container
Containers represent a large part of cosmetic waste. Brands offer to give a second life, or even several, to packaging elements. These are sterilized, relabeled and repackaged to give the impression of a new product.
· Personalized cosmetics
The principle of personalized cosmetics is to design a tailor-made product adapted to a consumer. More and more brands are getting started to allow their customers to use care precisely meeting their needs. Many services are associated with this initiative, including personalized diagnosis. The interested party is subjected to a questionnaire to determine their expectations in terms of beauty routine and results.
· Versatile cosmetics
Brands offer products with the particularity of replacing different types of care, thanks to the effectiveness and synergy of their components. Let's take the example of balms with enriched formulas. These are capable of substituting a hair mask, a facial treatment or even a soothing solution. Articles can, for example, have more than twenty purposes.
We are participating in the fight against waste!
At Ethni Beauty Market, we provide an anti-waste section. There you will find all kinds of cosmetic products of impeccable quality. We invite you to visit our online store to discover our offers!