Traceability, regulation and supply holding up natural ingredient adoption

08-Apr-2015 - Last updated on 09-Apr-2015 at 14:15 GMT

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Natural ingredient adoption rates are being slowed by a series of issues, including regulation, traceability, vulnerable supplies, and price volatility, according to a new report by Organic Monitor.

As demand for natural ingredients grows on the back of safety, wellbeing and environmental concerns, manufacturers are finding this specific set of challenges is making the quest to fulfil this demand difficult.

This is evinced by the fact that growth of the organic and natural cosmetics market in the US has slowed up in recent years, falling from double-digit figures to mid-single digit figures, although it is expected to soon top a value of $7 billion.

The challenges

The evolution of natural ingredients means that, where once green materials were heralded for the perception that they were safer, they are now increasingly being promoted for their better environmental profile, which is changing the game plan.

Likewise, regulation are also encouraging the use of green materials, an issue that has been highlighted by rising demand for eco-friendly alternatives to plastic microbeads in the light of state regulations that are starting to outlaw their use in cosmetic formulations.

Regulations are already in place to outlaw microbeads for cosmetics formulations in New Jersey, Wisconsin and Illinois, with several other states, including California, trying to push for similar regulations.

Also on the regulation side, an increasing number of certification bodies are outlawing a number of raw materials and ingredients because of concerns about GMO contamination.

There is also the increasing challenge of securing a reliable supply of natural and organic ingredients because many of the raw materials are sourced from smaller farmers who can often be at the mercy of pests and inclement weather, as well as facing the problem of not being able to meet high-volume demand.

Sustainable Cosmetics Summit

Many of these challenges will be flagged up by Organic Monitor during its Sustainable Cosmetics Summit, which is to be held in New York City, May 14 – 16^th.

The two-day conference and one-day workshop program will cover a wide spectrum of natural and organic ingredient issues, with a particular emphasis on sustainability and advances in sustainable ingredients, as well as social and customer impacts.

For more information about attending the event, the conference program and the green preservatives workshop, please click here.