CVS Health, (CVS)one of the largest U.S. retailers, on Thursday unveiled the watermark and logo that is being affixed to its own beauty products as well as those of several major vendors that will signal to shoppers the photos on the packaging have not been drastically altered.
The move was announced a year ago as part of CVS’ efforts to curb the use of significant photo alterations in beauty products and related ads, but products with the mark debuted in CVS stores on Thursday. CVS, which operates about 10,000 CVS pharmacy drugstores, had said it wanted to eliminate by the end of 2020 the use of imagery that has been “materially altered” with touch-ups on beauty products like cosmetics, skincare, haircare and personal care items.
CVS, which a few years ago garnered widespread kudos for dropping tobacco products from its shelves, is looking to woo more female shoppers at a time they have many more choices, from new sources of competition as well as traditional rivals like Walgreens and Target.
The drugstore chain gets about $3.4 billion in sales a year from beauty products, making CVS the third largest beauty seller in the U.S. by several estimates. A year after the initial announcement, some 70% of imagery in stores related to beauty products are touted as “beauty unaltered” or conversely “digitally altered.”
Some 13 brands already comply with CVS’ requirements, including Neutrogena, CoverGirl, and Revlon, with other in the process of doing so such as Olay, Almay, Aveeno, Rimmel, JOAH, L’Oreal, Maybelline, Unilever, Burt’s Bees, and Physicians Formula.
“As a purpose-led health care company as well as the second largest beauty retailer in the country, we want the millions of customers that visit CVS Pharmacy locations each day to see a more authentic and diverse representation of beauty,” said Kevin Hourican, president of CVS Pharmacy, the parent company’s $80 billion-a-year retail division.
