Anais Mirval, who is also an ingredients researcher at the company says that improved R&D is needed before these products can become cost-effective whilst still complying with safety regulations.
He also noted that research is not clear as to what extent the use of artificial preservatives is decreasing, but trends do not tend to suggest any dramatic change.
Mirval commented to CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com: “Companies like La Roche Posay or Vichy manufacture the majority of their products without parabens for instance. However such brands have small market shares and even though they might be growing we wouldn’t know if it is down to the “free from” claim.”
Positioning to take advantage of the paraben backlash
The cosmetics world is experiencing an ongoing backlash against artificial preservatives, with companies such as Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson phasing out some varieties from several of their product lines.
Mirval described effective positioning for companies to take advantage of the pro-natural trend: “I have seen two major types of positioning for brands claiming to be “free from”: natural and health. “Mainstream” brands like L’Oreal Paris would create a new range of product such as Ever that would benefit from the natural trend.”
“More “specialist” brands like Vichy, La Roche Posay are manufactured with thermal/spa water and are more positioned as cosmeceuticals, as very effective cosmetics.”
No great shift in preservative consumption
Euromonitor’s data is reportedly ambiguous on whether the increased number of natural and preservative-free brands available are selling better than previously. Mirval commented: “We know there are more products with “free from” claims, but we don’t know if they are sold more. We only know there is more availability.”
“Even though high profile companies are launching ranges without artificial preservative, the majority of their products still contain some of them as they are difficult to replace for efficacy and safety reasons. That’s why our data doesn’t show a major shift in preservatives consumption.”