THG bids to combat ‘greenwashing’ by extending links with validation platform

Manchester-based ecommerce giant, THG, is extending its links with Provenance, the organisation that validates and amplifies sustainability credentials for consumer packaged goods.

Provenance’s platform will be rolled out to THG Beauty’s brands LOOKFANTASTIC and Dermstore, following the continued success of its five-year partnership with Cult Beauty, also part of THG Beauty’s portfolio.

With Provenance’s data platform, framework, and publishing capabilities, THG Beauty’s brands will be able to publish transparent, fact-checked, and credible sustainability claims, ensuring customers can make informed choices at checkout.

Data from Cult Beauty, the first retailer to pioneer Provenance’s innovative solution back in 2019, shows that customers are more likely to purchase from brands that use Provenance’s verified sustainability claims.

As well as embedding sustainability widgets on product pages, the retailer is leveraging Provenance’s data to drive a range of marketing tactics, including search and filter discovery, social media campaigns, email marketing and its loyalty programme.

The announcement comes at a time of growing regulatory demands for accurate green claims, driven by global standards such as the EU’s Green Claims Directive, the UK’s Green Claims Code, and the anticipated updates to the FTC’s Green Guide in the United States.

The move also comes at a time when products marketed as sustainable are growing 2.7 times faster than the rest of the market, underscoring the increasing consumer demand for genuinely sustainable options.

Through its expansion with Provenance, THG Beauty said it is setting a new standard for sustainability in the beauty industry, empowering brands and consumers, alike, to make informed and responsible choices.

Jessi Baker, founder of Provenance, said: “Provenance’s partnership with THG Beauty marks a significant step forward in our mission to drive transparency in the beauty industry.

“We are thrilled to see our platform expanding to Dermstore and LOOKFANTASTIC, enabling more brands to communicate on sustainability in a compliant, customer-friendly way, and to start to generate a return on their sustainability investments.”

Mark Jones, Chief Sustainability Officer at THG, said: “Part of THG’s core sustainability vision is to use our scale and partnerships to promote and embed sustainability into everything we do.

“Expanding our partnership with Provenance is a testament to this commitment.”

He added: “We are dedicated to supporting our brands and brand partners in their sustainability efforts and ensuring our customers have access to transparent and credible information, and by providing the tools to verify and communicate sustainability claims, we are fostering a more informed and conscious consumer base.”