Garnier launches shampoo bars with reduced environmental impact

L'Oreal brand Garnier is launching a new range of shampoo bars, packaged in 100% recyclable materials, that offer a 25% reduction in environmental impact compared to liquid shampoos.


Garnier launches shampoo bars with reduced environmental impact

The company spent 18 months evaluating more than 60 formulas to find a solution with a low environmental impact

The Ultimate Blends shampoo bars are now available in Boots and will be rolled out to other retail stores in 2021. The bars are packaged in 100% recyclable FSC certified cardboard, are 97% biodegradable and consist of 94% plant-based ingredients.

The products also use 80% less packaging and 70% less fossil energy – largely through savings in transportation – compared to a conventional shampoo bottle.

L’Oreal claims that one solid shampoo bar can last two months and save up to one bottle of water per wash. Under full lifecycle analysis, the bars deliver a 25% reduction in environmental impacts compared to classic liquid shampoos.

Garnier’s international scientific and sustainability director, Aurelie Weinling, said: “We hope product developments such as this will lead to a genuine democratisation of the solid shampoo category in mass-market terms.

“The first formula trials started in July 2019 and we are thrilled to be able to now bring this new range to market today. We believe sustainability needs to be made accessible to all so we can achieve real impact at scale.”

Garnier produces 1.8 billion health & beauty products each year across 64 countries and the company spent 18 months evaluating more than 60 formulas to find a solution with a low environmental impact.

For the Future

The bars build towards L’Oreal’s new set of sustainability ambitions, which were unveiled in June. The “L’Oréal for the future” strategy outlines a new set of sustainability commitments for 2030, with various targets also set to a 2025 deadline.

The strategy commits the Group’s manufacturing, administrative and research sites to reaching carbon neutrality by 2025 through energy efficiency improvements and procuring 100% renewable energy. As of the end of 2019, L’Oréal had 35 carbon-neutral sites using 100% renewables, including 14 factories.

The company also unveiled a big financial commitment to CSR in May.

The L’Oréal for the Future programme is a responsive, social and environmental “solidarity programme” aiming to contribute to the regeneration of damaged ecosystems and preventing climate change, while also supporting vulnerable women during the social and economic crisis generated by the coronavirus pandemic.

The fund is split between social and environmental platforms. L’Oréal has committed €50m to support women that are being disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 crisis, notably in regards to job and income loss and the risk of domestic and sexual violence. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) warns that domestic violence will increase by 20% as a result of the lockdown.

A €100m fund for the regeneration of the natural environment has also been set up. A €50m Fund for Nature Regeneration will be used to finance marine and forest ecosystem restoration projects that also create new social and economic development opportunities for the populations that depend on these ecosystems.

L’Oréal is aiming to restore one million hectares of degraded ecosystems, capture 15 to 20 million tonnes of CO2 and create hundreds of job opportunities by 2030.

The remaining €50m will be used to promote the circular economy, with L’Oréal aiming to develop solutions and new business models that boost recycling and management of plastic waste.

L’Oreal recently confirmed that bottles of Paris Elvive will be made from 100% recycled plastic, during the same timeframe that its Maybelline brand launched a UK recycling programme in partnership with TerraCycle.

Matt Mace

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