LONDON—According to new research from Organic Monitor, the personal care industry is experiencing some division as a result of the proliferation in standards and certification, even though a number of regional and international standards for natural and organic cosmetics are gaining popularity in different parts of the world. Instead of natural and organic standards unifying the industry and homogenizing the definitions of natural and organic, the plethora of standards seems to be tearing at the industry’s seams, both domestically and abroad.
The Cosmos certification scheme has finally been introduced in Europe. The result of more than eight years of discussions, Cosmos has been prepared by harmonizing the leading natural and organic cosmetic standards in Europe. The first certified products are expected this year, but no common Cosmos logo is planned. Although the adoption rate of natural and organic cosmetic standards is the highest in Europe, the region is also the most fragmented in terms of seals and logos, according to Organic Monitor research. The problem is many of these standards are mainly adopted on a national basis, with few transcending national boundaries. For example, the Soil Association standard is almost exclusively adopted by U.K. companies, ICEA almost entirely by Italian companies, Cosmebio mostly by French companies and BDIH predominantly in Germany. More than 10,000 products are certified according to the six Cosmos member standards. A major critique of the new Cosmos standard is it will not replace or unify the plethora of existing symbols and logos.
The NaTrue standard has been successful in providing a uniform labeling scheme and now covers almost 1,400 products. However, its popularity is also geographically limited, with most of its 55 licensees based in German-speaking countries. The ECOCERT standard, which originated in France, has most international coverage, and has been adopted by companies in Greece, Denmark, Latvia, Brazil, India, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia to Australia. The ECOCERT logo is becoming recognized as “the organic logo" in some of these countries.
With the large number of licensees and certified products of ECOCERT and its fellow Cosmos partners, Cosmos has the potential to become a de facto global standard; however, the absence of a Cosmos logo weakens its position. Also, neither ECOCERT nor its Cosmos partners have made inroads in North America.
On the Homeland
High interest in standards and a flurry of re-formulation activity is occurring in North America since Whole Foods announced its new guidelines for personal care products a year ago. The NPA standard for natural cosmetics is the most successful, representing more than 300 certified products from about 30 brands. Although the NSF ANSI 305 ‘contains organic’ standard is gaining currency, the USDA NOP organic standard remains popular in spite of it designed for organic agricultural food products. Thus, three separate standards and logos are gaining momentum in North America.
Competition between standards in North America has intensified since NaTrue and NSF ANSI announced the launch of a new natural cosmetics standard last month. With this new initiative, NaTrue has become embroiled in two major standard battles in Europe and North America. NaTrue and Cosmos are competing to become pan-European standards, while the NaTrue/NSF ANSI alliance is competing with NPA for the natural position in North America. The battles look as if they will endure, considering all parties are well-entrenched.
And Abroad …
Proliferation is continuing in other regions with the leading standard agencies focusing on Europe and North America. The Asian and Latin American markets for natural cosmetics are showing high growth; however no local certification schemes exist. Although European schemes are currently filling the void, indigenous certification programs are likely to emerge as has happened for organic foods. Such developments have already occurred in Australia where OFC and ACO have introduced organic cosmetic standards.
In developing countries, the government could play an important role in advocating or introducing natural and organic cosmetic standards. The Taiwanese government recently criticized non-certified organic cosmetics, as they did not fall into the remit of its national organic standard. The Brazilian government is also looking at extending its national organic food standard to cosmetics. National standards for natural and organic cosmetics—the goal of many certification agencies in Europe and North America – are becoming a strong possibility in emerging countries.
As major certification agencies are engrossed in battles in Europe and North America, new standards are emerging in other regions. The proliferation in seals and logos, especially at the national level, could widen divisions in an already fragmented natural cosmetics industry. As this happens, it will be consumers who will be losers as they question why one certified product is more “organic" than the other.