Mintel: 52% of Londoners ‘worried about pollution’

Today, over half (52%) of Londoners say they are concerned about the quality of outdoor air where they live (ie. pollution levels), compared to a national average of 34%. Meanwhile, 45% in the capital say that they are concerned about the quality of air in their home, above the national average of 33%.

These concerns have made their way into consumer trends for skin care across the globe of late, with the anti-pollution beauty and personal care markets seeing ever-rising demand.

Anti-pollution​

Pollution and the damage it can cause to health has been making its way into headlines more and more frequently, and in response, consumer awareness and demand is rising for products that respond.

“Awareness of air pollution has been on the increase in recent years and this has impacted the way that people live their lives​,” confirms Richard Hopping, household and brand analyst at Mintel.

We see this in the launches of products and ranges across the board in beauty and personal care that now claim ‘protection’ or ‘anti-pollution’ properties, and this can be traced back through the supply chain to increased innovation at the ingredients level.

The following are key examples from fellow research firm Euromonitor International’s analyst, Maria Coronado:

• Lipo Chemicals has developed a novel, patent-pending compound, Liposheild® HEV Melanin, that acts as an “umbrella” to shield the skin from HEV light

• Greenetech is marketing Soliberine which claims to protect the skin against all types of light radiation

• DSM Personal Care is fighting blue light with the combination of different ingredients, PARSOL® Max to block blue light, selective vitamins like Niacinamide PC to counteract oxidative stress and a new microalgae bioactive (PEPHA®-AGE) which stimulates skin’s own defense.