Traceability in Action: Elevating evidence over storytelling

As conscious consumption becomes ever more mainstream, Clarins’ new “field to client” traceability platform, T.R.U.S.T., gives access to every product’s digital passport.

According to the latest UEBT (Union for Ethical BioTrade) report, 52% of consumers agree that it is very important for companies to communicate the origin of ingredients on their packaging or web pages. And consumers (54%) would also like to have information on how the product’s creation impacts biodiversity. Evidence clearly supports growing consumer interest in traceability and the power of transparency to drive purchase decisions.

According to Katalin Berenyi, Global General Manager of Clarins, “Clarins T.R.U.S.T., is our first traceability platform using blockchain technology, a breakthrough innovation in the beauty industry. Each of our guests can now use their product batch number to track all major steps of the product journey: from field, to factory, to their home.”

Clarins’ use of blockchain cleverly connects consumers to every product’s origin story, from the farms and fields where the brand sources its plants, to the factory in France where products are manufactured. The launch follows an industry-wide push to deliver deeper data around sourcing, safety and environmental impact.

Aveda was one of the first beauty brands to launch a blockchain traceability initiative back in 2019, and since then, brands including Guerlain (with its Bee Respect campaign) and vertical farming pioneers, Ulé, have made traceable innovation central to their brand story.

Consumers, however, are not convinced that companies do act positively on people and biodiversity – 24% of those surveyed say they are confident that companies pay serious attention to ethical sourcing of biodiversity.

The CIC Take:


The launch of T.R.U.S.T marks another significant milestone in the journey to transparency and sets the tone for a new era of evidence-based marketing for the Beauty industry.