Molton Brown

How ethical is Molton Brown?

Molton Brown is a brand of soap and shower products which has a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Soap & Shower Gel Ratings Table. Although Molton Brown has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

We would have extra confidence in Molton Brown if it submitted itself to apply for Ethical Accreditation, whereby The Good Shopping Guide would make further detailed assessment and recommendations for ethical improvement.

Find out more about the ethical issues facing the Ethical Soap & Shower Gel sector.

What does Molton Brown do?

Molton Brown was founded in London in 1971 as a small scale, artisan business, and has now grown to be a globally recognised luxury brand.

In which areas does Molton Brown perform poorly?

Molton Brown was marked down under our criteria for Organic and Vegetarian due to a lack of certification, and for Animal Welfare, as despite the fact that Molton Brown is CFI certified, its parent company, Kao Corporation, confirms that its products are tested on animals when required by law.

Kao Corporation also came under fire for its ‘BeWhite’ project which was criticised for implying an endorsement of light coloured skin, therefore Molton Brown gets a bottom rating for our Irresponsible Marketing criteria.

Past Criticisms of Molton Brown’s record

Molton Brown’s parent company, Kao Corporation, was given Ethical Consumer’s worst rating for their use of uncertified palm oil.

In which areas does Molton Brown score well for its ethics?

Molton Brown scores well for its Environmental Report, as Kao Corporation has a Sustainability Report 2022 containing lots of targets as well as evidence of progress made by the brand.

We found no criticisms of Molton Brown relating to; GM, Nuclear Power, Fossil Fuels, Political Donations, Armaments or Irresponsible Marketing, so it scores well for these criteria. Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

How can Molton Brown improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that Molton Brown is awarded with on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Soap & Shower Gel Ratings Table is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria.

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Molton Brown has some issues to resolve, including its lack of certification for Organic and Vegetarian products, and Kao Corporation’s use of animal testing. If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give Molton Brown some guidance to improve on these areas.

Were you aware that your brand could benefit from Ethical Accreditation? Brands accredited by The Good Shopping Guide can display our ethical mark, showcasing to consumers that it is an ethical and sustainable brand. If you’re interested in learning more, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.