The L’Oréal logo (Photo illustration). – JOHN MACDOUGALL / AFP
No more “white”, “whitening”, “clear”… L’Oréal decided to withdraw
some words from its cosmetic packaging following
anti-racist demonstrations that have taken place around the world in recent weeks. A decision officially announced this Saturday in a press release published in English, but which is not to everyone’s taste.
Very quickly after this announcement, a hashtag boycott campaign #BoycottLoreal was launched on social media. This Sunday morning, the hashtag
#JarreteLoreal even ranked at the top of trending topics, that is to say the most commented subjects
on Twitter. Many internet users have thus expressed their misunderstanding and especially their dissatisfaction after the decision made by the cosmetics group, explaining that they would no longer buy any product of the brand.
Because it is no longer worth it !!! ????????????#JarreteLoreal pic.twitter.com/XEpX2FSEnc
— Aurelvanlife (@AurelDaubercies) June 27, 2020
“If L’Oréal no longer wants whites … I don’t want them to make me tan anymore!” “
Several Internet users have relayed videos in which we see them throw L’Oréal products in the garbage. A video, liked more than a thousand times, shows a tanning product that ends up in the basket. “If L’Oréal no longer wants whites … I don’t want them to make me tan anymore!” Writes the internet user. In another, it’s a shampoo that ends up in the bottom of the trash…
If L’Oréal doesn’t want whites anymore … I don’t want them to make me tan anymore! #JarreteLoreal#BoycottLoreal pic.twitter.com/Ol3FhN0Hcm
– Snocxuatrom (@lavilledusud) June 27, 2020
L’Oréal removes the words “white” and “whitening” from its products? #jarreteLoreal pic.twitter.com/FGXvss6xSU
– Michel Campillo (@CampilloMichel) June 27, 2020
“Boycott L’Oréal for real reasons, animal testing, its investments considerably in Israel, a state which practices apartheid and colonialism … And no, it is for words withdrawn from its products … You are as repulsive as this firm #JarreteLoreal “, Also tweeted a user.
Boycott L’Oreal for real reason, animal testing, its investments considerably in Israel, a state that practices apartheid and colonialism …
And no, it’s for words removed from its products …
You are as disgusting as this firm. #JarreteLoreal– Manu ???? (@__nuMa) June 28, 2020
Many personalities have also taken up this subject, most in a tone of humor by denouncing the absurdity of this decision.
Uh, at the speed where things are going, I have a small question: am I still allowed to have white hair? ….. ???????? #Loreal https://t.co/z1g1YXqNLg
– Isabelle Morini-Bosc (@IsaMoriniBosc) June 27, 2020
Dear Twitter Doctor,
This morning after drinking my little black, I voted white at the Colbert high school in my neighborhood.
Am I a systemic racist or an unaccounted for disillusioned citizen? # Municipales2020 #loreal #It’s best just to laugh— regis mailhot (@regismailhot) June 28, 2020
Cry or laugh? Lore # decides to delete the words #bleaching and #clair of the description of its cosmetic products! Why not delete it outright #blanc and #whiteness vocabulary? This world by #demagogy and #cowardice becomes crazy! @BFMTV
– Philippe Bilger (@BilgerPhilippe) June 27, 2020
The case was also recovered by certain politicians, like Philippe de Villiers, the founder of Puy-du-Fou. “If this French flagship makes its customers feel the shame of their skin color in the name of this delusional ideology, I ask all the refractory Gauls to stop L’Oréal,” he tweeted.
“The L’Oréal group has decided to remove the words white / whitening / clear from all of its products intended to standardize the skin,” said the French giant in a racialist marketing statement today.
– Philippe de Villiers (@PhdeVilliers) June 27, 2020
Brands under pressure
In the United States especially, but also in France, India or Australia, brands are under pressure in front of the expressed anger since the death in late May of George Floyd, an African American asphyxiated by a white police officer in Minneapolis.
The L’Oréal group decided on Saturday to remove “the words white / whitening, clear (fair / fairness, light / lightening) from all its products intended to standardize the skin”. The decision of the French group comes after that of the Indian subsidiary of Unilever, which chose to rename its lightening cream “Fair & Lovely”. The American giant, Johnson and Johnson has decided to go further, this week by banning the sale of lightening substances designed for Asia and the Middle East.
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