AUSTIN, Texas (March 21, 2019) – Spring is the perfect time to get real about beauty and body care regimens, and the inspiring Whole Body department at Whole Foods Market offers high-quality beauty and body care products – from new and trending to long-time favorites – all of which meet the brand’s industry-leading standards that ban more than 100 ingredients and counting. This spring, the national grocer will host its first ever Whole Foods Market Better Beauty Swap to help consumers “clean up” their routines.
A recent survey conducted by Whole Foods Market found that one third (33 percent) of consumers do not understand ingredients commonly found in conventional beauty and body care products—such as parabens, microbeads and formaldehydes—well enough to know what they are. In addition, more than half (59 percent) of consumers do not regularly read beauty and body care labels in-store before purchasing.*
To help ease the burden on consumers when considering controversial ingredients and reading labels, Whole Foods Market has developed strict Body Care Standards that apply to all the beauty and body care products it carries. The national grocer proudly bans more than 100 ingredients commonly found in body care products, including phthalates, parabens, microbeads, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, triclosan, BHT, BHA and aluminum chlorohydrate.
Given the rise in organic beauty and body care products available, the survey also found 74 percent of consumers either do not know if there are specific government regulations for labeling beauty and body care products as “organic,” or think the regulations already exist. In fact, government standards for “organic” label claims on body care do not exist, which led Whole Foods Market to create its own based on USDA National Organic Standards for food. All personal care products sold at the grocer making an “organic” claim are required to be third-party certified.
“These findings on consumer perceptions and buying habits showcase a continued need for broader awareness around better-for-you beauty and body care ingredients,” said Jen Coccaro, Director of Merchandising, Whole Body. “That is why, as a leader in offering the finest, high-quality beauty, hair and body care products, Whole Foods Market will continue to educate and empower consumers around our belief that what goes on your body is just as important as what goes in it.”
Whole Foods Market Better Beauty Swap:
On Saturday, March 30, the retailer will host the Whole Foods Market Better Beauty Swap, making it easier than ever for consumers to “clean up” their routines and exchange current beauty items for trend-setting products that meet Whole Foods Market’s quality standards.
The first 200 consumers in select New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Los Angeles Whole Foods Market stores to bring in one empty beauty or body care product can swap it out for a free, limited-edition Whole Foods Market Beauty Bag (valued at more than $100 each).**
Store locations for the Whole Foods Market Better Beauty Swap events include:
- New York City, NY – Tribeca: 270 Greenwich Street
- Chicago, IL – Lakeview: 3201 N Ashland Ave
- Philadelphia, PA – Philly Center City: 2101 Pennsylvania Ave
- San Francisco, CA – Potrero Hill: 450 Rhode Island St
- Los Angeles, CA – Playa Vista: 12746 West Jefferson Blvd
Consumers can visit one of these stores from 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. local time to participate in the Whole Foods Market Better Beauty Swap while supplies last. They can also learn about Whole Foods Market industry-leading quality standards and take advantage of the Beauty Week sale. From March 27 – April 2, makeup, facial care, hair care, nail polish, perfume and makeup brushes are 25 percent off with an additional 10 percent off for Prime Members. Those who are not able to take advantage of the Whole Foods Market Better Beauty Swap, fear not: Whole Foods Market Beauty Bags are available for purchase in stores nationwide for $20 each, beginning March 29 and while supplies last.
As part of the grocer’s longstanding commitment to environmental stewardship, Whole Foods Market is working with TerraCycle, a global leader in hard-to-recycle materials, to recycle the empty beauty product containers collected during the events.
* Consumer research was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18+ between February 25 and March 4, 2019 using an email invitation and an online survey. The margin of error for this study was +/- 3.1 percentage points.
** Trade in your empty, old beauty product containers (minimum one item) and receive one Beauty Bag. No nail polish, nail polish remover, perfume or hair spray accepted. Containers must be completely empty of product. Only containers that are completely empty will be accepted, which for (i) containers holding liquids (e.g., shampoo bottles and hair gels) means they are free of all liquids and fully dry and (ii) containers holding solids means they do not have any solid residue. Limit one bag per person. Limited quantities. Available while supplies last. No rain checks.
