Rimmel

Is Rimmel an ethical brand?

The Good Shopping Guide gives Rimmel a low ethical rating. Rimmel is owned by the Coty Inc./JAB Holding Company. Sadly, as evidenced by its poor Good Shopping Guide ethical rating in our Ethical Makeup Ratings Table, this brand currently does not uphold our essential requirements. This brand needs to make a number of adjustments in order to be eligible for our Ethical Accreditation.

In what areas does Rimmel perform poorly? 

For those who are extremely concerned about animal testing, Rimmel has a low ranking in our research on Animal Welfare. The parent company, Coty, has made a statement that is quite confusing and opaque regarding its stance on animal testing.

Though this statement does claim that Coty does “not test […] products on animals”, they also mention that “[s]ome governments or agencies still require the testing of certain products on animals, in accordance with their local legal and regulatory requirements.” This raises some questions about their viewpoint. (It should be noted that while another Coty brand, COVERGIRL, is accredited with a Leaping Bunny emblem, Rimmel is not.)

The brand is also not accredited by any independent vegan, vegetarian, or organic authority. 

In terms of Political Donations, JAB Holding Co contributed more than $995k throughout the elections of 2018, 2020, and 2022. A further $41k was provided by Coty Inc.

One of the more serious ethical issues Rimmel is facing is a case that was documented by The Associated Press. The palm oil fields in Malaysia and Indonesia have seen a lot of incidents of abuse against women. These incidents included being assaulted physically and sexually, as well as being exposed to toxic chemicals. One girl who was assaulted was only 16. A woman at one plantation said that she had suffered from fevers, nosebleeds, and coughing for years after handling dangerous chemicals without wearing protective gear. This woman could not afford to visit the doctor because her daily salary was only $2. Coty and other well-known cosmetics companies reportedly use palm oil produced by women who have suffered serious human rights violations.

Please be aware, that this article from The Associated Press contains some very upsetting details.

In what areas does Rimmel perform well?

Coty’s Sustainability Report for 2021 outlines a variety of objectives and provides evidence that they have been met. One example of a target from Coty is to “[s]end zero waste to landfill and recycle 80% of waste generated by our factories and distribution centers by 2030.” Coty evidences their progress so far and their Environmental Report states that “[l]ess than 0.5% of factories and distribution centers’ waste was sent to landfills. Over 74% of waste was either reused, recycled or composted.” Many other targets and records of progress can be found in Coty’s publicly available Environmental Report. 

Furthermore, it has been established that neither Rimmel nor any of its parent businesses have any holdings in, connections to, or participation with the nuclear or munitions industries.

How can Rimmel improve its ethical rating?

The score for Rimmel by The Good Shopping Guide is determined by 15 ethical standards. Rimmel (and its parent companies) needs to account for and resolve a number of ethical challenges, including its involvement in some horrific Human Rights abuses.