La Roche-Posay

How ethical is La Roche-Posay?

La Roche-Posay is a skincare brand which has fallen below The GOOD Shopping Guide’s ethical benchmark on our Ethical Skincare Ratings Table. La Roche-Posay is owned by L’Oréal S.A., and its below-benchmark performance reflects a broad range of concerns arising from both its own product practices and those of its parent company.

What does La Roche-Posay do?

La Roche-Posay is a French dermatological skincare brand owned by L’Oréal S.A. The brand produces a range of skincare products formulated for sensitive and reactive skin, including its Effaclar, Toleriane, Cicaplast, and Anthelios SPF ranges. Products are sold globally through pharmacies, dermatologists, and online retailers and are positioned as clinically tested skincare solutions for a broad range of skin concerns.

Why does La Roche-Posay fall below The GOOD Shopping Guide’s benchmark?

La Roche-Posay’s below-benchmark performance is driven by poor ratings across a wide range of criteria. The poor rating for animal welfare reflects L’Oréal’s position as a company that permits animal testing where required by law, a concern shared by all brands within the L’Oréal portfolio. The vegetarian and vegan verification rating is also poor, as La Roche-Posay does not hold formal vegan certification for its product range.

L’Oréal has a documented record of political donations to US political parties and candidates, contributing to La Roche-Posay’s poor political donations rating. The company has also faced repeated criticism from advertising standards bodies, including the UK Advertising Standards Authority, over misleading marketing claims, contributing to the poor irresponsible marketing rating.

L’Oréal has accumulated a substantial public record of criticism across areas including labour rights, plastic pollution, greenwashing, and unsustainable palm oil sourcing, resulting in two poor public record criticisms ratings for La Roche-Posay. The brand also receives poor ratings for organic ingredients and packaging.

La Roche-Posay does achieve good ratings for environmental reporting, genetic modification, and armaments, reflecting areas where L’Oréal has demonstrated meaningful commitments. However, the breadth of poor ratings across animal welfare, marketing, political conduct, and public record means that La Roche-Posay falls well below the standard required by The GOOD Shopping Guide.

Consumers seeking skincare brands that meet The GOOD Shopping Guide’s ethical benchmark are encouraged to consult our Ethical Skincare Ratings Table and our guide to ethical skincare, and seek out brands that hold The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation. Our how we rate page explains the criteria used to assess all brands in this sector.