Lush quits social media again with new anti-social media policy

Cosmetics and skincare brand Lush is deactivating its social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat, as part of its new policy to address the negative effects of social media.

From 26 November, the cosmetic retailer will stop posting on the four major social media platforms in the 48 territories it operates, until 'the platforms take action to provide a safer environment for users'.

In a company statement, Lush said: "Like so many teenagers have experienced before us, Lush has tried to come off social media, but our FOMO is vast and our compulsion to use the various platforms means we find ourselves back on there, despite our best intentions."

Lush's latest boycott of social media comes in light of Facebook whistleblower Francis Haugen’s revelations including Facebook's knowledge that its products were damaging teenagers’ mental health and failing to curb misinformation before the 6 January Washington riots. The brand, which sells fragrant handmade soaps, bath bombs and other body products, aims to put pressure on social media platforms to introduce strong best practice guidelines and for international regulation to be passed into law.

Mark Constantine OBE, Co-Founder, CEO and Product Inventor of Lush added: "I’ve spent all my life avoiding putting harmful ingredients in my products. There is now overwhelming evidence we are being put at risk when using social media. I’m not willing to expose my customers to this harm, so it’s time to take it out of the mix."

In place of social media, Lush is turning to alternative initiatives, offering Twitter and Youtube as its communication channels, email newsletters for campaigns and Pinterest for inspirational content. Offline, the company pledged to invest in more physical events to connect with its customers as directly as possible.

The company previously attempted to take a stance against social media in 2019, closing its UK Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts in order to open up conversations within the Lush community. The digital team returned to social media following the closures of stores due to the pandemic.