John Frieda

How ethical is John Frieda?

John Frieda is a brand of hair care products which has a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Shampoo & Conditioner Ratings Table. Although John Frieda has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

We would have extra confidence in John Frieda 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 Shampoo & Conditioner sector.

What does John Frieda do?

John Frieda began as a salon in London over thirty years ago, and is now a brand of hair care products.

In which areas does John Frieda perform poorly?

John Frieda was marked down under our criteria for Organic and Vegetarian due to a lack of certification, and for Animal Welfare, as 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 John Frieda gets a bottom rating for our Irresponsible Marketing criteria. Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

Past Criticisms of John Frieda’s record

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

In which areas does John Frieda score well for its ethics?

John Frieda 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 John Frieda 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 John Frieda improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that John Frieda is awarded with on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Shampoo & Conditioner Ratings Table is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria.

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, John Frieda has some issues to resolve, including its lack of certification for Organic and Vegetarian products, and its use of animal testing. If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give John Frieda 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.