Packaging has witnessed a sea change in the past couple of years. The boom in e-commerce, a steady but growing ban on single-use plastics worldwide, the synergy between sustainable packaging and clean beauty, as well as new packaging designs as builders of brand value have driven sales in the personal care and beauty brands industry.
It’s also common knowledge that the personal grooming and beauty care industry is one of the biggest offenders with waste amounting to approximately 120 billion units each year according to Brussels-headquartered Zero Waste Europe (ZWE). Overconsumption is another major problem which can be tackled by trying to reduce and trying to reuse. Jackie Bauer, head of product development at Hairstory, the US-based personal care products manufacturer, says, “It’s to try and reduce as much as we can. The more we reuse, the less we consume.”
Refill and reuse formats are two of the most dynamic packaging options that have emerged this year, helping consumers achieve a zero waste lifestyle. US-based Smithers, the leading consultancy for paper, print, and packaging industry, has profiled its comprehensive market outlook in its report “The Future of Refillable and Reusable Packaging to 2027.”
According to the study, the segment still dominated by refillable glass bottles, is expected to reach $42 billion in 2022 and will grow to $53.4 billion by 2027 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9% for the forecast period (2022-2027). For other emerging applications such as cosmetics and personal care, food, and home care, the demand is estimated to grow at over 30% year-on-year through to 2027. With a market already worth $167.3 million in 2022, the personal care segment is expected to more than quadruple over the next five years.
Personal care and beauty companies are increasingly turning to developing refills in the form of lightweight flexible pouches with identical volumes which can be swapped into the base unit, rather than make use of in-store refill models. This concept is well advanced in hair care and skin care products. New initiatives and big-brand innovations are ushering in the age of the ‘green’ reuse and refill. Refillable and reusable beauty is now permeating the mainstream with brands from Diptyque to Hourglass, Isle of Paradise to Kérastase, and Chanel to Hermès launching anything between eyebrow pencils to shampoos and lipsticks as keep-forever products.
With more sustainable packaging setting market trends, reusable and refillable packaging options in the billion-dollar beauty and personal care industry are paving the way for a more eco-friendly future.
