Packaging often gets the spotlight in sustainability conversations, but our analysis of a high-volume body lotion revealed a more nuanced picture. While switching to recycled packaging reduced emissions by up to 11%, a cost-neutral formulation optimization delivered comparable reductions by targeting the product’s largest carbon driver: ingredient production. Together, these strategies unlocked a ~20% total footprint reduction.

Small formulation decisions add up. In a screening carbon analysis of a mass-market lotion, we identified a cost-neutral reformulation that cut ingredient emissions by ~15% — translating to over 1,000 metric tons of CO₂e avoided annually at scale.