1-  Could you tell us about your position and the missions/activities of LVMH RECHERCHE Parfums & Cosmétiques?

LVMH RECHERCHE is a Research and Innovation entity that develops tomorrow’s most desirable perfumes and cosmetics for all the LVMH Group’s Houses. Our research and innovation centers bring together 696 talents at 5 sites around the world, sharing the same values of creative audacity, entrepreneurial expertise and a spirit of solidarity.

In its perpetual quest for innovation, performance and quality, LVMH RESEARCH is anchored in a sustainable and Open Innovation approach, and is at the origin of cutting-edge research programs in our many fields of expertise, such as knowledge of materials and ingredients, skin biology, formulation, physical chemistry, sensory analysis, packaging and artificial intelligence, at the service of all the World’s Beauties.

As a member of the Scientific Department, my mission is to keep a global watch on regulations concerning perfumes and cosmetics packaging, so as to be able to anticipate and thus secure the product portfolio of the Houses.

Every day, my team and I strive to provide the Group’s brands with the support and processes they need to clarify and “digest” the numerous requirements, thus enabling them to better navigate through all the international regulatory obligations.

We also respond to requests for information from the regulatory affairs of the Group’s Houses and countries, as well as from the Packaging Development and Sustainable Development teams. We work hand in hand with all LVMH RECHERCHE employees involved in packaging (Process and Packaging Innovation, Technical Product Conformity, etc.).

I also support the in-house commitment charter for Perfumes & Cosmetics packaging, and provide the necessary support for advocacy actions, whether for our in-house Corporate Affairs department, countries or trade associations (Cosmetics Europe, FEBEA, etc.).

2-  Whether due to regulations (the notion of “excessive packaging” in Europe or “unnecessary packaging” in France) or societal pressure, packaging must reinvent itself in order to respond to this notion of “packaging minimization”,

How does LVMH take these factors into account, in terms of both packaging mass reduction and empty space reduction?

Alongside plastics and the circular economy, “excessive packaging” is one of the 3 pillars of our strategy. Compliance with regulations is of course paramount, but beyond that we want to embark our customers on a new approach to luxury by lightweight conception.

This is a real challenge, as the intrinsic link between the weight of a package and the perception of quality is still very much ingrained in people’s minds.

This is reflected in the work carried out by our brands to reduce the weight of glass in bottles and jars, eliminate ballast weights and do away with plastic film.

Concerning the reduction of empty space, this point is very well taken into account for our finished products within the framework of packaging eco-design. Overall, there is very little non-functional empty space in primary packaging. The work that remains to be done focuses mainly on boxes for events, where the products are highlighted. The Brands have already made great strides in fine-tuning this, but we’re not there yet. For example, the combination of a 100 ml perfume bottle with a lipstick remains problematic from the point of view of empty space, especially when, for reasons of rationalization, a box format is aimed at several franchises. Nevertheless, we need to break out of this “display” packaging role.

We have also worked hard on the shipping packaging for all e-commerce orders, with very clear guidelines for the Houses. This is a real challenge, as our sector is characterized by the fact that the majority of products to be shipped are small. Since 2021, we have carried out a very factual assessment of the situation and defined a trajectory for continuous improvement that goes beyond the European regulatory deadline of 50% in 2030, as we are really expected by consumers on this point due to their “unboxing experiences”.

3-  Reuse is on the Right Packaging agenda for both household packaging and industrial and commercial packaging. You are a member of the CNE Working Group on “packaging and reuse: challenges, opportunities and prospects”.

Can you tell us what LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics is doing to address this issue (reuse, refills, etc.)?

This is a major trend in the sector, and an opportunity for the Brands, as it means less packaging “in fine”, for more sustainable products. As part of the LIFE 360 Group’s environmental strategy, refillability is systematically measured in our eco-design tool. All product lines lend themselves to this exercise, and many products are already available in refillable versions, whether for perfume, make-up (lipstick, case, etc.) or skincare.

This is of course more relevant for products with high customer loyalty, and enables us to capitalize on the added value of our packaging. We have also sought to gain a good understanding of this consumption mode through international consumer studies, so as to meet expectations as closely as possible.

The design of refillable packaging is systematically subject to a risk assessment based on the type of formula, and is accompanied by precise handling recommendations for the customer to ensure safety. In addition, we ensure that the overall environmental impact of a refillable packaging solution is always lower than that of a recyclable single-use packaging.

The challenge is to find the right compromise so as not to fall into the trap of “over-packaging” under the guise of refillability. The new European PPWR regulation takes this feature into account, listing re-use as one of the performance criteria for assessing packaging minimization. The challenge will be to find the right balance between this criterion, so as to maintain our credibility and satisfy our consumers.

We are also working on making our refills non self-contained, which is not yet systematically the case today, as positioning as a nomadic product can be emphasized.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4- What are the priority themes for LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics that the CNE could document for the benefit of all and for the benefit of Right Packaging?

 

Generally speaking, anything that helps to deconstruct prejudices and myths about packaging, whatever the sector, is always very useful.

As far as the recyclability of our packaging is concerned, we are still often confronted with 2 obstacles: the small size of our packaging and the residual product content at the time of sorting.

Sharing best practices on this complex subject, and developing synergies with other industries, would be very useful.