Nivea

Is Nivea an ethical brand of skincare?

Nivea, a Health & Beauty brand owned by Beiersdorf AG and Maxingvest AG, is one of the brands independently researched by The Good Shopping Guide. The brand receives a low Good Shopping Guide score in our Ethical Skincare Ratings Table and therefore does not meet our ethical benchmark.

We encourage other companies in the Skincare sector to push for change and consider the welfare, and the sustainable and ethical treatment of the Environment, Animals, and People.

In which categories does Nivea score well?

As Beiersdorf has a detailed Annual Report, which contains several sustainability commitments and goals for the future, Nivea receives a top rating in the Environmental Report criterion.

Additionally, neither Nivea nor its parent companies makes political donations, resulting in a top rating for Political Donations.

In which categories does Nivea score poorly?

On the other hand, Nivea has many categories in which improvement is required. Notably, Nivea receives a bottom rating for Animal Welfare, as Beiersdorf has a policy confirming it permits animal testing when required by law (which is an issue in countries such as China).

Moreover, due to Beiersdorf’s controversial activities, Nivea attains a bottom rating in the Irresponsible Marketing criterion. For instance, Beiersdorf was sued in 2022 due to claims that its Coppertone sun cream, another Beiersdorf brand, contains benzene, a known human carcinogen. Plaintiffs argued that Beiersdorf marketed these products as safe and therefore misled consumers about the health risks of using products containing benzene. To settle these claims, Beiersdorf agreed to pay $2.3 million.

How could Nivea become Ethically Accredited with The Good Shopping Guide?

Nivea has some way to go before it could apply for Ethical Accreditation with The Good Shopping Guide. In order to achieve this, Nivea could stop its (or its third-party) animal testing for products sold in China and cease involvement in unethical marketing practices. The brand should also seek certification from an independent vegan organisation.