Vicks

How ethical and sustainable is Vicks? 

Vicks is included in The GOOD Shopping Guide‘s Cold Remedies Ethical Ratings Table. Vicks has yet to meet our ethical standards, but we believe that in the future, the brand will make the necessary changes to function as a more ethical organisation.

What does Vicks do?

Vicks was introduced in 1898 and is an over-the-counter medication brand owned by The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G). Vicks sells a range of products including Vaporub, nasal sticks and sprays as well as baby-rub. Vicks Vaporub is a 4 in 1 cold symptom relief and has a specially formulated baby-rub for children 6 months and above.

For which criteria does Vicks perform poorly? 

Vicks received a low rating for Animal Welfare, Vegan products, Irresponsible Marketing and Political Donations. Vicks parent company states that it does use animal testing for its products when required by law and is also featured in the PETA list of companies that do test on animals.

Procter & Gamble has also made many financial contributions to political parties/candidates in the U.S. in recent years and therefore receives a bottom rating for Political Donations.

In what areas does Vicks score well for its ethics?

Vicks receives a high score for its Environmental Report. The citizenship report released by Procter and Gamble meets our ethical criteria.

Additionally, Vicks receives a top rating for Armaments, as P&G is not involved in this industry.

How can Vicks improve its ethical rating?

The Ethical rating of a brand is divided into three categories by The GOOD Shopping Guide: the Environment, People and Animals. Find out more about how we rate.

Did you know that your brand could benefit from Ethical Accreditation? Brands that receive our accreditation are able to proudly display our mark, showcasing to consumers that its products are ethical and sustainable.

The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ratings Tables can show you which brands have achieved Ethical Accreditation. To find out more, please contact us or fill out a Free Initial Assessment form.