Aesop

How ethical is Aesop?

Aesop 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 Aesop has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

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

What does Aesop do?

Aesop is an Australian luxury cosmetics brand which makes skin and haircare, fragrance and soap products. It has been owned by L’Oréal since 2023.

In which areas does Aesop perform poorly?

Aesop was marked down under our criteria for Animal Welfare as the brand’s parent company, L’Oréal, features on PETA’s list of companies that do test on animals, despite claiming that it does not use animal testing. It also scores poorly for Genetic Modification, as L’Oréal signed a deal to develop a biosynthetic ingredient and is therefore involved in the production of genetically modified organisms.

Aesop’s parent company, L’Oréal, has been criticised on numerous occasions for poor ethical practices, such as plastic pollution, unsustainable palm oil consumption and human rights abuses. As a result, Aesop receives a bottom rating for Public Record Criticisms.

Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

In which areas does Aesop score well for its ethics?

Aesop’s parent company, L’Oréal, has a booklet named ‘L’Oréal for the Future’ with targets for 2030 and 2050, and evidence of progress, so Aesop scores well for its Environmental Report.

How can Aesop improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that Aesop 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.

Aesop requires significant improvment before it can meet our Ethical Benchmark. We recommend the brand (and its parent company, L’Oréal) addresses its performance in the following categories: Organic, Vegetarian/vegan Verified, Irresponsible Marketing, Political Donations and Public Record Criticisms.

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.