Lush
Rated: Fair
Price: $$
Location: UK
Quick verdict
Lush is a £690M cosmetics and bath company with one of the strongest ethical profiles in its industry. A Living Wage Foundation employer, PETA and Vegan Society certified, powered by 100% renewable electricity, and responsible for over £100 million in charitable giving through the now-discontinued Charity Pot programme—an estimated 50–66% of products are sold packaging-free ('Naked'). Lush scores well on overall sustainability assessments. The main gap is that living wages are not confirmed across the entire global supply chain.
Key info
- Headquarters
- Poole, Dorset, UK
- Founded
- 1995
- Product categories
- Beauty
- Price range
- $$
- Key certifications
- PETA 'Beauty Without Bunnies' cruelty-free certified. Vegan Society certified (~95% vegan). Vegetarian Society certified. Fair Tax Mark accredited. Living Wage Foundation accredited. SBTi target set. 100% renewable electricity globally.
Lush sustainability rating
Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (We Avoid) to 5 (Excellent). How we rate
Rating breakdown
Fresh, largely natural ingredients. USDA organic Patagonian seaweed. Removed all natural mica in 2018 due to child labour concerns (switched to synthetic). Removed eggs (2019) and lanolin (2023). Supplier Specific Boycott Policy refuses any supplier testing on animals.
Living Wage Foundation accredited in the UK: one of few large high-street retailers. No zero-hour contracts; equal pay regardless of age. 50% employee discount. However, living wages not confirmed across the entire global supply chain of raw material suppliers.
100% renewable electricity globally since 2008 (Ecotricity partnership). 199,247 tCO2e total FY24 emissions. Solar installation at HQ. Insetting programme (£300K annual budget). SBTi target set but 'no evidence of being on track' per assessors.
50–66% of products sold packaging-free. All packaging uses 89% recycled content. Black pots are 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. 'Bring It Back' scheme rewards returning clean pots. Green Hub processed 1,702 tonnes waste (40% recycled, 32% reused, 14% composted).
Fair Tax Mark accredited. Publishes Tier 1 facility locations, Code of Conduct covers ILO principles. 10% employee-owned since 2017. However, no annual sustainability report in standard framework (GRI/SASB).
What they do well
- Pioneering packaging-free products: An estimated 50–66% of products sold without any packaging (shampoo bars, bath bombs, solid deodorants). Shampoo bars alone save approximately 6 million plastic bottles globally per year.
- Living Wage Foundation employer: One of very few large UK high-street retailers paying the Real Living Wage, with no zero-hour contracts and equal pay regardless of age.
- Over £100 million in charitable giving: The Charity Pot programme (2007–2024) donated 100% of the sale price to grassroots organisations, raising £75 million across 17,000 grants in 17 years.
- Zero animal testing with industry-leading policy: Supplier Specific Boycott Policy refuses all ingredients from any supplier that tests on animals for any purpose. Removed all natural mica in 2018 over child labour concerns.
- 100% renewable electricity globally — Partnership with Ecotricity since 2008. Solar installation at Poole HQ generates approximately 130,085 kWh per year.
Room for improvement
- Global supply chain wage gap: While Living Wage Foundation accredited in the UK, living wages are not confirmed across the entire global raw material supply chain. This remains a notable gap in the brand's otherwise strong ethical profile.
- SBTi targets without progress evidence: Science-based targets are set but there is no evidence the brand is on track to meet them. Total FY24 emissions were 199,247 tCO2e with Scope 3 at 93.8%.
- Palm oil not fully eliminated: Despite removing palm oil from soap base since 2007, palm derivatives (stearic acid, cetostearyl alcohol) remain in some products. Reduced 10% in 2024 but not fully removed.
About Lush
Lush was founded in 1995 by Mark Constantine, Mo Constantine, Rowena Bird, Helen Ambrosen, Liz Bennett, and Paul Greeves, opening their first shop in Poole, Dorset. The company has grown to 869 stores across approximately 50 countries, generating £690.1 million in FY2024 revenue. It remains private and family-controlled, with 10% employee-owned since 2017 through an Employee Benefit Trust.
The packaging-free concept is Lush's most significant environmental innovation—an estimated 50 to 66% of products are sold completely without packaging. Shampoo bars, bath bombs, solid deodorants, and massage bars. This alone saves an estimated 6 million plastic bottles per year. Where packaging is used, 89% is recycled content, with black pots and bottles made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. The Bring It Back scheme rewards customers who return five clean black pots with a free fresh face mask. Additional innovations include cork pots (sequestering 33 times their weight in CO2), Knot-Wraps (reusable fabric gift wrap), and Eco Pops (potato starch-based biodegradable packing material).
The ethical commitments extend deep. Lush runs on 100% renewable electricity globally through a partnership with Ecotricity dating to 2008. The Supplier Specific Boycott Policy refuses ingredients from any supplier that tests on animals for any purpose. The brand even refuses to sell in mainland China due to mandatory animal testing requirements—in 2018, all natural mica was removed from production over child labour concerns, replaced entirely by synthetic mica. The Charity Pot programme raised £75 million across 17,000 grants before being discontinued in September 2024, replaced by cause-specific 'Giving Products.'
Controversially, Lush abandoned all social media platforms in November 2021 citing mental health risks, giving up 8 million Instagram followers across 555 accounts. The move remains in effect as of 2026, with digital strategy relying on the Lush App (1.75 million users) and Lush Club loyalty programme. The September 2025 closure of all UK shops for one day in solidarity with Gaza drew both praise and criticism. Trustpilot shows 3.3 out of 5 in the UK from nearly 3,500 reviews, with praise for in-store experience and ethics offset by online ordering issues.
Product highlights
Sleepy Body Lotion
Lavender and tonka body lotion in 100% post-consumer recycled black pot; self-preserving formula; vegan
~£10–£25 (~$13–$32)
One of Lush's bestselling products. Demonstrates the self-preserving formula approach that covers 90% of the range
Honey I Washed the Kids Soap Bar
Naked (packaging-free) soap bar with honey and sweet wild orange scent; handmade in Lush factories
~£6–£8 (~$8–$10)
Iconic product that exemplifies the Naked concept. Sold completely without packaging, cutting plastic waste entirely
Shampoo Bar (various)
Solid shampoo bars eliminating the need for plastic bottles; range includes Seanik, Jumping Juniper, and New; vegan
~£10–£14 (~$13–$18)
Lush shampoo bars save an estimated 6 million plastic bottles globally per year. The brand's most impactful waste reduction product
Bath Bomb (various)
Handmade effervescent bath bombs in dozens of varieties; sold naked (no packaging); 100% vegetarian, mostly vegan
~£5–£8 (~$6–$10)
The product that made Lush famous. Sold packaging-free since inception, demonstrating that mass-market cosmetics need not require plastic
