We’ve all heard about the importance of saving energy, whether it’s reducing how much electricity we use at home, driving fewer miles, or insulating our homes. But conversations about the environment also often focus on something called a carbon footprint. So, what exactly does that mean? And how does it relate to the products we use every day, including cosmetics and personal care items?
What is a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is a way of measuring how much carbon dioxide (CO₂), the main greenhouse gas contributing to climate change, is released into the atmosphere as a result of making, transporting, using and disposing of a product. Every stage in a product’s life cycle requires energy. And if that energy comes from burning fossil fuels like coal, gas, or oil it releases CO₂ into the air.
CO₂ is a natural part of the earth’s atmosphere. In the right balance, it plays an essential role by trapping some of the sun’s heat, keeping our planet warm enough to sustain life. But human activities, especially burning fossil fuels, have increased the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere, leading to rising global temperatures, shifting weather patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events.
That’s why reducing CO₂ emissions, including those associated with the products we buy, is now seen as one of the most important steps we can take to tackle climate change.
How do we measure the carbon footprint of a cosmetic product?
Calculating a product’s carbon footprint means looking at every stage of its life, from the raw materials used to create ingredients, to manufacturing, packaging, transport, how the product is used at home and what happens to the waste or packaging after use.
For cosmetics, this process is complex. Each ingredient needs to be traced back to its source, whether it’s a naturally derived oil, a lab-created compound or a mineral. The same applies to packaging materials, such as plastic bottles, pumps or labels. Even how consumers use the product. For example, the energy used to heat water in the shower or to run recycling processes needs to be considered.
Once all these steps are mapped out, estimates are made based on how much energy was used at each stage and what type of energy source was involved. If fossil fuels were used, the CO₂ emissions can be calculated and added up to give an overall carbon footprint for the product.
To support the cosmetics industry in reducing its environmental impact, Cosmetics Europe, the European personal care Association, launched and initiative called Commit for Our Planet. This voluntary initiative invites companies to make sustainability commitments in three key areas: climate, packaging and nature. By joining the initiative, companies gain access to tools such as a carbon calculator, created specifically for the cosmetics sector, to help them measure progress and take meaningful action. To learn more about the commitments companies have made, visit the Commit for Our Planet website.
Why is it so complicated?
While the idea of calculating carbon footprints sounds straightforward, in practice, it’s extremely complex. Gathering accurate data for every stage of a product's life is difficult, particularly in industries like cosmetics where supply chains are global and ingredients can pass through multiple processes before they’re ready for use.
To make matters more complicated, different methods exist for calculating carbon footprints, and these often rely on assumptions and estimates that vary depending on the approach. This means two companies could calculate carbon footprints for similar products and end up with very different results.
For smaller companies, the complexity, cost, and resources needed to carry out full carbon footprint assessments can also be a significant barrier.
At present, the idea of comparing products on shop shelves based on carbon footprint labels remains unlikely, partly because there’s no standardised, universally accepted method for doing so across different product categories, especially for something as complex as cosmetics.
Carbon footprinting: a piece of the puzzle
Although calculating a carbon footprint has its limitations, it can still be a useful tool for identifying opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly within supply chains or production processes.
Many companies use carbon footprinting to focus on specific areas where real improvements can be made, whether that’s sourcing ingredients more locally, using energy-efficient manufacturing, or designing packaging that creates fewer emissions during production.
However, it’s important to recognise that carbon footprinting only looks at one part of the overall environmental picture. Focusing solely on reducing CO₂ emissions can sometimes shift the problem elsewhere. For example, by increasing water use, land use, or other types of pollution.
The whole picture: Life Cycle Thinking
Today, many experts agree that a more holistic approach called Life Cycle Thinking offers a better way to assess environmental sustainability. Life Cycle Thinking looks beyond carbon emissions to consider a product’s full impact, including how it affects water use, resource consumption, biodiversity, waste, and even social and economic factors.
Carbon footprints form one part of this broader picture, but they need to be considered alongside other environmental and sustainability goals to make meaningful progress.
Read More:
CTPA Sustainability Hub: Life Cycle Analysis
UK Government energy statistics: Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES)
