Lush Holds Out From the Sellout
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.28.08
The founder of Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics spoke with Karen Mazurkewich of the Financial Post about the buyouts of companies like the Body Shop and Bare Essentials, all gobbled up by megacorps and hedgies.
"The deal that has Mr. Constantine rattled most is the recent sale of Burt's Bees to Clorox, a bleach manufacturer. "You couldn't have a more dramatic difference in image from a chemical bleach company and a natural cosmetics company based on honey and bees," he says.
Mr. Constantine says these deals are having a negative impact in the industry. "If all [natural-based companies] ever do is sell out to a large multiple, it gets very confusing, and in the end ethical consumption as a concept will just disappear," he says.
The article continues:
Mr Constantine suggests that the buyout fever will eventually lead to a consumer backlash. He cites an informal survey on treehugger.com, which found that 48% of customers would abandon an ethical brand if they were bought out by a multinational.
Mr. Constantine, who is under immense pressure to sell, is not happy with the options. "I'm 55, and you have to start thinking about what's going to happen," he says. Like many businessmen, Mr. Constantine would like to expand the company, but this requires capital. If you go with a venture capitalist they might flip you fast to a company you don't want, he says. Mr. Constantine would like to see more ethical funds that "don't necessarily require a quick exit."
Until the market evolves he plans to hold firm to his company: "We are fed up. Ethical marketing has become an oxymoron." ::Financial Post
Good for him! I hope he sticks to his guns because I'm absolutely addicted to some of his products and I'd hate to see an ethics/quality reduction because some large multinational just had their eye on the bottom line.
Forgive me for asking, but is Lush a particularly "green" company? What is in (or not in) their products?
ive been to lush.. its great!!
i love it..
:}..
and he does make a good point on this
Forgive me for asking, but is Lush a particularly "green" company? What is in (or not in) their products?
Just off the top of my head:
Most of their items are vegetarian or vegan, they make shampoo bars(which are amazing)- one of which lasts about as long as three bottles' worth (saving plastic and energy), they use good, natural ingredients as much as possible (though they do have a few products with less-than-desirable chemicals) in most of their products, and use biodegradable plastic and vegetable-based inks. They try to get everything free-trade and organic when possible, and regularly encourage their customers to think about ways to green up and package down their lives. When you purchase from them online, the items arrive tightly packed (safe and snug) wrapped in as little paper or plastic as feasible, in the smallest box they could manage. And in the stores they let you leave with paper bags, but sell their own wrap that they encourage you to bring back to take things home in. Last time I was in the store they filled up my cloth bag without batting an eye- most places will try very hard to get you to leave with their bag (and it's name plastered at your side). I'd say Lush is worth writing home about. But hey, full disclosure, I'm a full-fledged Lushie.
WOO-HOO!!
I love LUSH!!!
I mistrust a CHEMICAL company trying to greenwash buy buying burts. Personally, I stopped buying Burt's and would have stopped buying lush!
I'd most certainly stop using a product bought out by a chemical conglomerate. I no longer buy Burts Bees and am very disappointed in them for selling out.
I applaud any company that refuses to sell out.
I am a fan... for all the reasons mentioned by Miaux Cat, though I'm not sure about their support of Fair Trade.
One complaint and this is a biggie: they use parabens and sodium laureth sulfate in some of their products. I wanted to find out why, so I wrote to Lush. Their response was that they have no plans to phase out these toxins because there is no conclusive evidence that they are harmful. I find this unacceptable for an "ethical" company.
You girls should check out www.futurenatural.com. It's the new Sephora for the savvy organic & natural set! Cool brands, modern site, great environmental stance and so on....
Yes I agree.... pity they sold out to none other than a chemical company - total contradiction!
I'm all for healthy products but without any questionable ingredients and they are out there!you just have to be lucky enough to find them www.healthorganic.info
Wow. I had no idea that Burt's Bees sold out. This is really shocking. And I thought I was doing something good for my body and the planet, but I think it's pretty obvious what happens when profits drive an industry instead of people and the planet.
hi. i've been to their store personally and i was able to purchase a fragrant "honey" soap. i like their idea to make products vegan. however, i'm skeptical about the strong fragrance contained in their products. aren't they harmful?
thanks for those who would comment on this. ^^,
I didn't realize that Burt's Bees sold out--very depressing!
So far, I do like Lush's products. I avoid their products with parabens. I think they would be unable to sell the products without the parabens because they're preservatives, and the products wouldn't last otherwise. I think they do a good job with full disclosure. If you want to avoid products with parabens, the company makes it very easy. However, other consumers aren't concerned...