Consumers across all shopping categories have made it crystal clear that sustainability—particularly in packaging—is a variable weighing heavily on their decisions about what to buy, and from whom.

This isn’t just a lofty idea to file away for later; today’s socially conscious consumers are proactively seeking and responding to brands whose platforms, communications, and values reflect their own. Beauty consumers seem to be even more tuned into this than shoppers in other categories, and brands are taking note.

Survey shows how beauty consumers feel about packaging

In Dotcom Distribution’s seventh annual eCommerce consumer survey, beauty consumers agreed that sustainable packaging is the environmental factor most likely to make them shop with a brand.

For instance, given the choice between receiving an online order in a box or a poly bag, 82% of all respondents prefer boxes, with 27% of that group crediting their preference to boxes being more eco-friendly. Twenty-four percent of those who prefer boxes said they reuse the boxes.

When it comes to inner packaging, sustainability again emerged as the most influential factor for beauty consumers when choosing what brands to shop with (41%). This group also proved to be among the categories of shoppers most active in supporting a circular economy (41%).

Consumers consider packaging when shopping

According to Inbal Shaked, director of marketing for lifestyle fragrance brand commodity, it’s important to consider how sustainability can factor into the entire online shopping journey. That includes returns. “Our return rates have remained relatively consistent [during the pandemic],” said Shaked.

“As a fragrance brand, we fully understand that most people won’t pay $100+ for a scent they’ve never tried, so we proactively offer our customers samples of our scents. In turn, we expect that when it comes time to buy the full size, returns shouldn’t be necessary unless there is a logistics issue. This solution ends up being both economically and environmentally responsible,” Shaked explains.

As mentioned earlier, consumers consider packaging more than any other sustainability factor when deciding whether to shop with a brand. In line with that trend, skincare and beauty brand, Bliss, has gone all in on sustainable packaging.

According to the company’s CFO, Anthony Gajewski, “Sustainability is a cornerstone to our brand purpose. As a clean, cruelty-free, planet-friendly skincare brand, we understand that consumers care not only about what they are putting on their bodies, but also the implications their choices have on the environment.”

He added, “Therefore, we have partnered with international recycling leader, TerraCycle, to make our packaging 100% recyclable. Consumers are now able to send all Bliss products and packaging—including flexible and rigid plastic, pumps, sprays, packets, pouches, tubes, jars, and complex closures—to be recycled for free. That material is then cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new products. This partnership was a critical step in furthering our commitment to sustainability.”

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for beauty brands

The current trend is absolutely moving towards more environmentally-friendly and sustainable packaging choices at a faster pace now versus pre-pandemic.

As a beauty brand, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to building a more sustainable brand, so it’s important to educate yourself about your options, from eco-friendly void fill to boxes made from 100% post-consumer waste and with petroleum-free inks and more.

Photos: The author, Maria Haggerty, co-founder and CEO of Dotcom Distribution; screenshot on left via Instagram @dotcomdist