79% of mothers on our panel say the word 'natural' on a baby product label means 'less than it used to'.
The vocabulary of the clean baby product movement has been used so widely and so loosely that words which once conveyed specific meaning now convey primarily a desired feeling. And mothers, the most scrutinous label-readers in any consumer categor, are increasingly aware of the gap.
What the words mean to mothers
'Natural': 'Made primarily from plant or mineral sources, without synthetic chemicals', but 79% added that they no longer trust this claim at face value without reading the ingredient list
'Clean': 'Free from a specific list of harmful or controversial ingredients', 71% could name at least three specific ingredients they considered disqualifying
'Safe': 'Will not harm my child', 88% said this was the most important claim and the one they were most sceptical of without evidence
"I've stopped trusting the front of the pack. The back of the pack is where you find out what's actually in it.” -Panel member, 34, Portland
The transparency opportunity
Our panel data shows that 77% of mothers were more likely to purchase from a brand that clearly explained the purpose of each ingredient, even if that ingredient was synthetic, than from a brand that used 'natural' and 'clean' language without substantiation. Mothers don't need synthetic-free. They need understood.
The greenwashing fatigue
44% of mothers on our panel actively use the term 'greenwashing' when describing brands they have lost trust in; a significant shift in consumer language sophistication that has occurred notably between our 2022 and 2024 panel surveys.
This article draws on research from the Sibyl + Sage Women's Empowerment Panel; which is a community of over 24,000 women across 22 different countries; sharing their experiences in their own words. To learn more about how we can amplify the voice of women in your research, contact us at voices@sibyl-and-sage.com.