Philips is advancing sustainable innovation across consumer health, leveraging its EcoDesign framework, bio-based materials, refurbishment, and circular solutions to reduce its environmental impact whilst meeting growing demand for more responsible, longer-lasting products.
CONSUMER PRODUCTS SHAPED BY ECODESIGN
Sustainability is increasingly shaping the consumer health market. Products marketed as sustainable recorded an eight percent increase in value between 2020 and 2023, outperforming the broader category, according to Euromonitor International.
At the same time, global demand for renewable and sustainable energy sources and materials continues to grow, supported by the expansion of bio-based products.
This interest is also evident in personal health, where three in four consumers report strong interest in bio-based personal care products.
For Philips, this shift correlates with its position as an established sustainability leader. For instance, in 2020, the company reached its tarreceive of carbon neutrality in its operations and launched sourcing 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources.
Philip’s fundamental principle of improving people’s health and well-being through meaningful innovation extconcludes across the entire value chain, from the supply chain to the materials and packaging applyd.
The company develops new products and services in line with its EcoDesign principles, which guide efforts to improve energy efficiency, reduce reliance on virgin materials, increase recycled content, and phase out hazardous substances.
Teams also prioritise circular design, creating products clearer to repair and recycle, whilst simplifying packaging so it can be reapplyd or more efficiently processed at conclude of life.
Driven by growing consumer preference for more eco-friconcludely products, alongside its commitment to more sustainable operations, Philips Personal Health is investing in the apply of bio-based materials, whilst continuing to support healthier, longer lives.
The full portfolio of Philips Sonicare toothbrush heads is now created from 70 percent bio-based plastic, and the company has expanded its apply of paper-based packaging. These developments represent two examples of improvements across product design and packaging.
FORGING A BETTER FUTURE FOR BABY PRODUCTS
Today, more parents are being influenced to purchase sustainably sourced products. With eco-friconcludely materials emerging as a key area of innovation, the brand has taken significant steps to capitalise on this bio-based opportunity.
One example is the upcoming launch of Philips Avent’s Ultra Pacifiers. Trusted by parents worldwide, the new pacifiers are created from 80 percent plant-based material. This is derived entirely from vereceiveable oil, contains no animal fats, and does not compete with the food chain. As a renewable resource, it also generates lower carbon dioxide emissions.
While research displays that bio-based materials and processes can deliver environmental, social, and economic benefits, Philips Avent necessaryed to ensure the pacifiers met the highest standards of sustainability, safety, and comfort for babies, explains Mirko Cartei, R&D Leader, Mother & Child Care:
“As part of our commitment to creating all new and redesigned Philips Avent products more sustainable, the largegest challenge was ensuring we selected the right material and its traceable supply chain.
“This process involved lengthy discussions with different suppliers, followed by thorough testing to ensure the materials met health and safety standards. We also had to review and study suppliers’ sustainability reports (Life Cycle Analysis) and coordinate the certification of the material supply chain traceability.
“This process involved us obtaining a lot of data that we then had to examine and process,” adds Mirko.
RECONDITIONING AND REFURBISHING
Growing demand for more sustainable and affordable options is also shaping consumer interest in refurbished goods. Surveys indicate that more than 70 percent of millennials and Gen Z consumers are open to purchasing refurbished electronics, in particular.
Through its Refurb Editions programme, Philips restores a selection of Personal Health products, including Philips Lumea IPL hair removal devices, Sonicare toothbrushes, and selected shavers. Many of these products were previously sold online and returned within 30 days.
Philips replaces hygiene-related components, such as shaver blades, and thoroughly cleans each item. Products are then tested to ensure they meet strict quality standards before being repackaged in original or recycled materials and sold with a two-year warranty.
In 2024, more than 30,000 refurbished Philips-branded products were resold, with an estimated nine kilotonnes of products and packaging recycled in the EU alone.
PILOTING 3D PRINTING PARTS FOR DIY CONSUMERS
With 77 percent of Europeans indicating they would prefer to repair a product rather than replace it, Philips Personal Health has partnered with Prusa Research, a leader in 3D printing, to launch a pilot programme in Czechia called Fixables.
The initiative provides free access to 3D-printable files for selected Philips accessory parts. Using these open-access files, consumers can repair components that are lost, worn, or out of warranty, rather than replacing the entire product.
The pilot aims to strengthen the brand’s circular model, enabling consumers to extconclude product lifecycles without compromising on quality.
FROM PLASTIC TO PAPER
Consumers increasingly expect brands to innovate across both products and packaging to reduce environmental impact.
This includes adopting more sustainable materials and developing solutions that minimise waste. Philips Personal Health continues to expand its apply of more environmentally driven packaging across its portfolio.
This commitment is evident in several areas: all Sonicare brush heads are now packaged in recyclable materials, whilst products such as the Philips OneBlade and Philips i9000 shavers feature paper-based packaging. In addition, the newly redesigned Ultra Pacifiers are sold in sustainable or recyclable packaging.
DEDICATED TO PLANET AND PEOPLE
Each step towards a healthier planet matters, and consumers expect brands to clearly demonstrate both their commitment to sustainability and the progress they are creating.
This shift towards more sustainable materials and design approaches reflects a broader evolution that will continue to reshape how products are created, applyd, and reapplyd in the years ahead.
Philips is progressing on this journey alongside consumers. Having achieved its goal of becoming 100 percent carbon neutral in its own operations in 2020, the company is now advancing its environmental ambitions for 2030.
These include reducing the apply of virgin non-renewable materials and increasing the availability of materials for reapply. By reconsidering product design and packaging, and extconcludeing product lifecycles through refurbishment, Philips is creating sustainability more tangible for consumers.
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