Perception of sustainability labels by small and medium-sized cosmetics manufacturers: A qualitative study in the Belgian context

Details

Supervisors

Desmet, Carlos

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

This master’s thesis aims to answer the following question: ‘What is the perception of sustainability labels by small and medium-sized cosmetics manufacturers?’. To this purpose, a literature review first tackles several topics related to the problematic. Firstly, a description of the cosmetics industry and of its impacts emphasizes the need of the sector for sustainability. Second, an analysis of labels as sustainability communication tools allows to formulate a definition of the term ‘sustainability label’. The link between the cosmetics sector and sustainability labels is then established, making it possible to describe the industry trends in terms of labels as well as some examples. Lastly, an analysis of the factors influencing companies regarding sustainability labeling is carried out. The literature review finally allows to break down the problematic into three categories of factors affecting companies’ perception of sustainability labeling: the drivers, influences, and impacts. To explore these elements, a qualitative research is conducted and eleven Belgian cosmetics companies were interviewed. From there, we find that 6 main factors motivate cosmetics manufacturers to engage in sustainability labeling, while 8 factors demotivate them. However, the motivators carry more weight and hence the drivers’ analysis is globally positive. Moreover, 3 enablers and 3 inhibitors are identified as influencing the labeling process. However, it is hard to draw conclusions from this category as these elements were scarcely discussed. In addition, 5 positive impacts and 3 negative ones are recognized as resulting from sustainability labels. Altogether, it can be concluded that the perception of sustainability labels by small and medium-sized Belgian cosmetics manufacturers is ambivalent, with yet a slightly positive trend. This contributes to the evolution of the cosmetics sector towards more sustainability and to the general understanding of sustainability labels.