The Body Shop, a pioneer in cruelty-free beauty, has kicked off 2023 with a milestone announcement: its entire range of skincare, body care, haircare, makeup, and fragrance, is now fully vegan.
In a statement released today, The Body Shop says its products are all now certified by the Vegan Society, making it the world’s first global beauty brand to accomplish this feat across all its offerings. The announcement coincides with the launch of its tongue-in-cheek “Yes! Another Vegan” campaign, acknowledging the often-mocked response to vegan declarations with a hint of humor. It also comes on the second day of the popular January campaign, Veganuary — the global commitment that saw more than 700,000 people go vegan last year.
“We did it! Every single product formulation from The Body Shop is now certified by The Vegan Society,” Ian Bickley, Chief Executive Officer of The Body Shop, said in a statement. “We know that vegan beauty matters to millions of people around the world, and we’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this huge milestone. We were the first beauty company to fight against animal testing in cosmetics. We were the first major global beauty brand to use cruelty-free musk in our fragrances. We have now achieved another global first.”
This development was initiated in 2021 when 60 percent of The Body Shop products already had the Vegan Society trademark. The shift to fully vegan demonstrates its commitment to cruelty-free beauty and responds to the increasing consumer demand for vegan products.
The Vegan Society’s certification is considered the global gold standard in vegan verification and involves an exhaustive review of more than 4,000 ingredients across more than 1,000 products.
“Today we are extending a massive congratulations to The Body Shop for achieving 100 percent of their product formulations being vegan and certified with The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark,” said Chantelle Adkins, Director of Business Development at The Vegan Society. “This has been a massive project for them and showcases their 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.”
The Body Shop’s decision to go vegan aligns with market trends predicting substantial growth in the vegan cosmetics industry. A study by Research and Markets forecasts a 6.31 percent compound annual growth rate from 2023-2028, with the market expected to reach $24 billion by 2028. This shift caters to the preferences of over one in ten young people who consider ‘vegan’ an essential factor in their health and beauty purchases.
The Body Shop’s journey to this vegan achievement dates back to its pioneering stance against animal testing in cosmetics in 1989. While the global fight against animal testing continues, the brand’s move to a fully vegan product range represents a new milestone in its long-standing commitment to ethical beauty.
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