Colgate Just Launched 2 Certified Vegan Toothpastes In Recyclable Packaging, A First For A Major FMCG

The global iconic oral care brand Colgate has just launched two new toothpastes called “Smile For Good” that are certified vegan and packaged more sustainably. The unveiling of these products indicate that companies across the board, including major brands, must step up their efforts to improve their ethical and environmental practices in order to retain market share as consumers are continue to demand more purpose-driven action from businesses, particularly when it comes to ingredients and their supply chain. 

One of the world’s most recognisable FMCG brands, Colgate, has just debuted two new vegan, cruelty-free toothpaste products in recyclable tubes and cardboard packaging. Called “Smile For Good”, the vegan line of Colgate’s toothpaste comes in two varieties: Whitening and Protection. While Colgate is not a completely cruelty-free or vegan company, both products are vegan-friendly. They have been registered with the international Vegan Trademark by the Vegan Society to certify that they have not been tested on animals and do not contain any animal-derived ingredients. 

The Vegan Society made the announcement via their Vegan Trademark Instagram account, saying that they “register individual products to encourage brands with non-vegan products to change.”

Not all toothpastes are vegan, and many traditional brands on the market contain animal ingredients. These include animal-based glycerin, calcium phosphate that has been extracted from bone char, and bee-derived products like propolis, which is a common ingredient found in natural toothpastes on the market. 

Colgate’s vegan options are currently available across the United Kingdom and the EU, in major supermarkets like Tesco, ASDA and Sainsbury’s, as well as personal care retailers such as Boots and Superdrug. 

This follows the brand’s recent launch of a biodegradable toothbrush made from sustainably-grown bamboo and packaged in recyclable cardboard, in a bid to reduce plastic waste. While this product does mark a major step forward in the company’s efforts to fight plastic pollution, the toothbrush is coated with beeswax to minimise water absorption and improve its durability, which makes it unsuitable for vegans. 

Colgate’s launch of a line of certified vegan toothpastes comes as sales of vegan products across the board of consumer goods are on the rise, pressuring brands to quickly keep up or risk losing customers. Instead of being considered a radical alternative lifestyle, since the mountain of evidence showcasing the environmental, ethical and health advantages of plant-based, veganism has gone mainstream. Globally, Google searches for veganism have skyrocketed 550% over the past 5 years. In Asia, the sales of vegan products at an all-time high, much of it driven by China, which boasted the fastest growing vegan market in the world with a 17.2% jump in sales between 2015 and 2020.

Lead image courtesy of Vegan Trademark.