According to the latest findings from Mintel, for beauty brands to survive they must shift towards a collective good as consumers are now expecting beauty brands to have real purpose and to use their power to create genuine social change.
The exclusive consumer research carried out for the ‘Future Forward’ report shows that ‘not using harmful ingredients’ (48%) is still the top priority in terms of what consumers want from their beauty brands: they want to keep themselves safe.
However, consumers’ expectations are set to dramatically shift from the individual to the collective.
According to Mintel’s research, consumers want businesses to be honest with them about their business practices (29%) and to pay their employees fairly (21%).
Meanwhile, 15% of consumers now also want to see brands be more inclusive by designing products for people from all backgrounds and abilities. And with the younger generations most focused on these issues, there is undoubtedly a need for brands to shift focus.
‘Purpose is the path to be taken’
“While brands know that purpose is a path to be taken, there are many that have yet to brave it,” says Chairman, Mintel Beauty and Wellness, Jane Henderson.
“In the coming years, brands will risk calls of tokenism if they do not plan to be at the forefront. Those that embrace it with courage and creativity will capture more consumer hearts and more sales.
“Brands must be prepared for consumers to care more than ever about inclusivity, as well as the dignity of employees and the impact of their business around the world, as we see people become increasingly concerned about the greater good.
“With the younger generations more passionate about wider social change than their older counterparts, it is a trend that is set to keep growing.”
Shift from the individual to the collective
According to Mintel, the greatest shift in vision that we will see in the next five years is one of collaboration. Mintel says that to achieve real change, brands must work together, not against each other.
“Brands will no longer view one another as competitors, but as allies tackling a common cause,” says Ms Henderson.
“Those that fail to collaborate and, instead, seek individual attention will find themselves at the mercy of a growing group of proactive consumers, who will call out their behaviour. Negative sentiment will run high if brands fail to collaborate or contribute.”
Do more for the planet
Mintel’s research shows that consumers are increasingly looking for more ambitious commitments from companies and brands to protect the environment.
While 34% of consumers say they expect brands to follow environmental regulations, there’s a growing group that wants brands to take this further.
In fact, a similar proportion (30%) want beauty brands to do what’s best for the earth, even at the expense of margins.
What’s more, according to Mintel, 48% of consumers now want brands to show the direct impact their purchases have on the environment, such as one tree planted for every purchase. A similar proportion (47%) want labels to clearly show a product’s environmental impact.
“In today’s world, consumers want more than just a product,” says Ms Henderson. “They want to put their money where their values are.”
“More people will consciously invest in a brand that is aligned with their values, becoming so invested that they are prepared to build a shared legacy,” she says.
“Expect to see a growing consciousness among consumers of their impact on the world around them and an expectation that companies will absolutely do their part to help.”
