P&G Launches First High-Performing Shampoo Bars Across Its European Haircare Portfolio

For World Oceans Day, P&G Beauty’s Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie are launching their first  shampoo and conditioner bars.

 

Announced at the Reuters Responsible Business Summit during a live panel , P&G Beauty showcased that, as of 2022, Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie will continue to deliver sustainable products at scale. These new products will change the way consumers buy and use shampoo and conditioner, according to the company.

 

Consumers are eager to be more sustainable and urging brands to help them, new global research conducted by P&G Beauty reveals that 75% of consumers would like to buy more beauty products with packaging made from recycled material. Indeed, a significant proportion of consumers (65%) already try to buy plastic free packaging. With a footprint in millions of European households, P&G Beauty’s scale, combined with their commitment to continue to raise the bar on sustainable innovation, delivers a significant contribution to tackling the challenges of bathroom sustainability, the firm said.

 

The new shampoo bars have been formulated where one bar equals up to two equivalent 250ml liquid shampoo bottles. With the introduction of more and more post-consumer recycled plastic into regular bottles and the refill system, the launch of bars will further contribute to the reduction of 300 million bottles of virgin plastic per year. This continues to be the latest innovation in a line of many, for consumers who want to use brands they love whilst doing their part for the planet.

 

P&G Beauty worked with Paula Chin, Sustainable Materials Specialist at WWF UK, ahead of the panel to incorporate their perspective on the role of brands making an impact at scale on plastic waste reduction.

 

“Plastic pollution is one of the most visible symptoms of the environmental crisis we’re facing and it’s devastating our natural world,” said Chin. “Businesses, governments and households have all got an important part to play in tackling this. Consumers are rightly concerned about this issue so it’s great to see P&G playing their part to drive down the use of plastics with this new range. But we need even greater action to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity and nature loss, and pollution and waste.”

 

“Every day we are working to raise the bar in sustainability. And I am thrilled to say that to raise the bar again, we are now bringing highly performing handmade bars across the total P&G hair care portfolio in Europe – including Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie,” said Artur Litarowicz, Head of P&G Beauty Europe, at the summit. “Not only do these innovations offer a delightful experience due to their unique formulas and shapes – but their boxes are paper-based with FSC certified paper, to further advance us on the mission to reduce virgin plastic.”

P&G Beauty’s 2030 commitment to plastic reduction continues with the new boxes of shampoo bars with recyclable FSC paper.

 

P&G Beauty knows the importance of haircare rituals and what this experience means to consumers. The new shampoo bars have been carefully developed to meet consumer desires in line with their liquid counterparts: a highly-effective shampoo that creates a rich lather with a delightful scent leaving hair feeling clean.

 

Designed in signature branding, Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie shampoo and conditioner bars all come in easy-to-hold bar shapes with an integrated built-in cotton rope to hang in the shower for ease of storage.

 

Head & Shoulders has also pioneered its first active antidandruff solid shampoo bar, bringing this formula to millions who suffer from dandruff. In addition to this, it has scalp massaging properties. Our testing process has revealed consumers’ reaction to the bars, stating “it feels unique, easy-to-hold and practical.”

 

In addition, Aussie is becoming P&G’s first household brand to launch a solid conditioner bar.

P&G Responsible Beauty continues its commitment to help consumers act more sustainably in their everyday lives, by providing them with better choices. As of December 2021, most of its shampoo and conditioner bottles became technically recyclable.

 

From 2021, the company reduced the amount of virgin plastic used by 10,000 tons a year, equivalent to 300 million virgin plastic bottles. More than half of its shampoo bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic in Europe. P&G launched The Good Refill to help consumers change their refill behavior in the bathroom and have already brought over a million refillable products to market in one year.