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.

We would have extra confidence in Aesop 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 Aesop do?

Aesop is an Australian luxury cosmetics brand which makes skin and haircare, fragrance and soap products. It has been owned by L’Oreal 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’Oreal, 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 GM, as L’oreal signed a deal to develop a biosynthetic ingredient.

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

Past Criticisms of Aesop’s record

Aesop’s parent company, L’Oreal, was criticised for the brutal treatment of women in Malaysian and Indonesian palm oil plantations.

In which areas does Aesop score well for its ethics?

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

We found no criticisms of Aesop relating to; GM, Nuclear Power, Fossil Fuels, Political Donations, Armaments or Irresponsible Marketing, so it scores well for these criteria.

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.

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Aesop has some issues to resolve, including its vague Environmental Report and support for GM ingredients. If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give Aesop 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.