The 5 best ‘Proof Points’ for shopper engagement

We're sharing brand new data about what matters to shoppers and how brands just like yours are using Proof Points. Scroll down to see the top 5 Proof Points so far in 2023, as clicked by online shoppers.

What's a Proof Point?

Proof Points are clickable sustainability claims about a brand or a product. Using technology, they connect what brands say (e.g. Organic Ingredients, Widely Recyclable Packaging or Renewable Energy) to real evidence or independent verification. Proof Points embed seamlessly onto ecommerce product pages to give shoppers at-a-glance peace of mind, as well as the ability to click through to see more information and the proof behind the claim.

Which Proof Points have the highest click-through rates? 

The below rankings are based on shopper impressions from Provenance data collected between 1st January - 4th May 2023.

1. EWG VERIFIED™

The most clicked-through certification across all brands and products so far in 2023 is EWG VERIFIED™. For beauty shoppers – who are more used to seeing vegan and packaging based claims – the definition of the certification might not be immediately obvious and may prompt a deeper look.

What does EWG VERIFIED™ mean?

The EWG VERIFIED™ mark is managed by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit founded in 1993. The organisation conducts research and gathers information about consumer products, cosmetics, energy and toxic chemicals and strives to push industries to adopt their standards.

To learn more, view this claim in the Provenance Framework.

2. Coral Reef Safe

Shopper scrutiny towards Coral Reef Safe claims is unsurprising following the news that Bondi Sands were subjected to a US lawsuit for their “reef friendly” sunscreen. The Australian brand’s products were free from oxybenzone and octinoxate, but were found to include other harmful ingredients, including avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene.

What does Coral Reef Safe mean?

A Coral Reef Safe product does not contain chemicals which are known to be damaging to coral reefs and which can lead to coral bleaching.

For the full list of ingredients deemed harmful to coral reefs, view this claim in the Provenance Framework.

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3. Scientifically Tested

We know that along with price, efficacy is a key consideration for beauty shoppers when making a purchase. It’s therefore unsurprising to see that shoppers are clicking through to understand more about how product performance is proven by scientific testing.

What does Scientifically Tested mean?

Scientifically tested means that a product was independently tested in a laboratory to ensure safety and performance.

To learn more, view this claim in the Provenance Framework.

4. Carbon Measured

Last year, Harper’s Bazaar cited ‘carbon neutrality’ as “the new green beauty frontier” - it’s therefore unsurprising to see shoppers curious as to how brands are measuring their carbon footprint.

What does Carbon Measured mean?

This business has measured the total greenhouse gas emissions caused by its operations and supply chain or its product. Greenhouse gases (including carbon emissions) from human activities are the most significant driver of climate change.

To learn more, view this claim in the Provenance Framework.

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5. Fully Compostable Packaging

New research from Deloitte suggests that 54% of shoppers would welcome better schemes to remove plastic and packaging, so there’s no surprise that shoppers are engaging with this Proof Point to put brand packaging claims to the test.

What does Fully Compostable Packaging mean?

This product's packaging is capable of decomposing naturally in a home compost or in an industrial compost environment, in a way that is not harmful to the environment and produces compost. This does not guarantee that it will be composted – always check locally.

To learn more, view this claim in the Provenance Framework.

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Today’s shoppers want to be able to clearly understand product level claims and explore the evidence too. If you’re a brand that makes claims including or similar to those above, your customers will expect you to explain and prove them. To find out how Provenance Proof Points make this easy to do, click here. Alternatively, head to the Provenance Framework to explore all available Proof Points.