Thousands of the latest organic, natural and sustainable products were in the spotlight at Natural & Organic Products Europe (NOPEX), Europe’s leading sustainable business event which took place in London (UK), from 15 to 17th April. NATRUE was delighted to be back, participating in the largest trade show in the UK which this year attracted more than 7300 attendees from 74 countries across the two days.
Event Director for the show, Carol Dunning, explained: “Our goal is to provide an exciting platform for our exhibitors to showcase their products to interested retailers and connect with buyers who are committed to promoting healthier and more sustainable lifestyles. It was fantastic to see so many key players in the industry coming together to achieve that goal.”
NATRUE at the shows
In this 2023 edition, NATRUE took advantage of the fair to offer visitors the opportunity to explore a selection of NATRUE-certified brands – participants had the chance to discover and try products from Weleda (Switzerland), Hemptouch (Slovenia), Dàmar (Albania), Circly! (Germany), Trilogy (New Zealand), Mishki (Peru), Babyduft (Switzerland), Prodotti Amano (Germany), Frescoryl (France) and Balmyou (Germany).
The show provided an opportunity for visitors to meet with and learn from experts in the natural and organic cosmetics industry. One of these experts was Dr Mark Smith, NATRUE Director General, who participated in several presentations and panel discussions.
- On Sunday, 16th April, Dr Smith presented the results of the latest NATRUE study, a report that evaluates consumer perception and trust regarding digital tools when it comes to product information. In light of recent increased consumer interest and use of digital technology, NATRUE commissioned a survey focused on consumer expectation of digital tools when it comes to claims, labelling, packaging and environmental impact.
- On Monday, 17th April, Dr Smith joined an informative panel in the Natural Beauty Talks theatre at NOPEX. Together with some other beauty experts, and moderated by Weleda UK, the panellists explored options for a more sustainable future and touched on the responsibility of manufacturers to ensure they meet both environmental and legislative requirements.
- On Tuesday, 18th April, Dr Smith moderated a discussion panel at the Brewery in London, within the Clean Beauty in London event. The show served as a platform for addressing the underlying pros and cons of claims associated with clean beauty in order to avoid misleading consumers through ‘cleanwashing’.
Last but not least, these events enabled NATRUE to meet with contacts that we’ve known for a long time, but to also build new relationships with new players and participants in the natural and organic cosmetics industry and to introduce the values that certification provides to finished products and raw materials.
Trends to keep an eye on
Under the motto “Change starts here”, several panellists – among them, Dr Mark Smith – shared their expertise at the Natural Beauty Talks theatre. NATRUE joined some of those conferences, and here is a roundup of some consumer trends that are impacting purchasing behaviour:
- Consumers want to know more about the ingredients, its performance and provenance.
- The way to change the natural and organic cosmetics industry is to explore new packaging: consumers want to switch from a single-use packaging to a “re-use system”.
- Biotechnology is the future, if we see this as a way of combining nature and science to create more sustainable products.
- Sexual health and wellness are experiencing a high increase.
- Certifications (such as NATRUE) are a good way for producers to verify claims, since currently there’s a lack of regulation.
Save the date: NOPEX, 14-15 April 2024!