Neutrogena

How ethical is Neutrogena?

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

We would have extra confidence in Neutrogena 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 Neutrogena do?

Neutrogena is an American personal care brand based in California, founded in 1930. The brand has been owned by Johnson & Johnson since 1994.

In which areas does Neutrogena perform poorly?

Neutrogena was marked down under our criteria for Animal Welfare as the brand’s parent company, Johnson & Johnson, features on PETA’s list of companies that do test on animals, despite claiming that it does not use animal testing.

Neutrogena was also marked down under our criteria for Organic products and Vegetarian/Vegan products due to a lack of certification. Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

Past Criticisms of Neutrogena’s record

Johnson & Johnson was criticised for irresponsible marketing of opioids, the brand agreed to a proposed settlement but claims this is not an admission of wrongdoing. It also faced roughly 38,000 lawsuits linked to claims that the company’s talc baby powder was contaminated with cancer-causing asbestos.

In which areas does Neutrogena score well for its ethics?

Neutrogena receives a high score for its Environmental Report. Johnson & Johnson has a ‘health for humanity’ report which includes evidence of progress and several targets for the future. We found no criticisms relating to GM, Nuclear Power or Armaments, so Neutrogena scores well for these criteria.

How can Neutrogena improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that Neutrogena 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, Neutrogena has some issues to resolve, including its use of animal testing and lack of certification. If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give Neutrogena 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.