Botanics

Is Botanics an ethical brand?

Botanics is a skincare, bath and body care brand launched in 1995 and owned by conglomerate Walgreens Boots Alliance. It receives a low Good Shopping Guide score on our Ethical Skincare Ratings Table.

Botanics has many issues to address and should change its business activities in order to reach our ethical benchmark and achieve Ethical Accreditation. Though Botanics is marketed as a ‘natural’ brand, with much written on its website about its commitments to the Environment and to Animals, consumers should be aware that this brand is ultimately owned by an unethical conglomerate, Walgreens Boots Alliance.

We encourage all skincare companies and brands to keep pushing for ethical business standards; the skincare sector is now hugely influential, due to its prevalence on social media sites such as TikTok and Instagram. Brands now have a huge reach, and can make a lot of money from promoting their products on these sites. As such, brands should carefully consider the kind of environmental and ethical impact they are having on our planet, on people and on animals.

Where does Botanics score well within our research?

Despite its low GSG score, Botanics does score well in some categories.

As Walgreens Boots Alliance has a detailed ESG Report, which contains sustainability goals, the brand receives a top rating under the Environmental Report criterion.

The company has also not been linked to the Nuclear Power, Fossil Fuels or Armaments industries and therefore attains a top rating in these categories as well.

Where does Botanics score poorly within our research?

Botanics receives a bottom rating in numerous research categories. One of the most important areas is Botanics’ bottom rating for Animal Welfare, which is a result of Walgreens Boots Alliance’s links to animal testing; the company permits animal testing when required by law and is therefore not a cruelty-free business.

Additionally, Botanics receives a bottom rating for Public Record Criticisms, due to Walgreens Boots Alliance’s involvement in unethical business practices. This includes its role in perpetuating the opioid crisis and the use of unsustainable palm oil.

How can Botanics improve its ethical rating?

The Good Shopping Guide assesses Botanics’s score using 15 ethical criteria.

For Botanics to improve its score, it must resolve several unethical business practices, such as animal testing and palm oil usage. Botanics might one day attain The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation, though a lot of progress is required before this would be possible.