y to win some points in the struggle for attention. However, the reality is that many tactics relied on to achieve commercial success in this space are still dependent on predatory algorithms that violate the privacy of users, who are more aware than ever and are frustrated at the breach of trust. Taking responsibility At Lush, we consider ourselves a socially responsible brand. At our foundation, we are a company campaigning for human, animal and environmental rights, and our products are keenly focused on enhancing the wellbeing of our customers. So naturally, as our digital business has become a larger part of our sales mix, our values have evolved to encompass digital ethics. We believe that data privacy is a fundamental human right, and lack of transparency or exploitation of data should not be ignored. More than ever, consumers are aware and conscious of these topics. Key events such as the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal back in 2018, have been pivotal in opening the public’s eyes to the shady practices used by big tech to collect our private data. More recently, data leaks from the likes of Optus, Medicare, and more have driven larger conversations about data privacy and an increased level of caution amongst users about what they share online. To solidify our understanding of this, we recently published a Report, Digital Engagement: A Social Future. The report surveyed 12,000 global consumers on their sentiment towards Big Tech and expectations for brands online. We found, among other things, that 60 per cent of consumers believe social media platforms don’t do enough to protect their private information, and 65 per cent don’t want brands using their personal data for commercial benefit. For our part, this has been heard loud and clear, and to back our commitment to addressing these concerns, we’ve embarked on what we’re calling the Big Tech Rebellion – a movement to fight back against big tech and push for a better online world, where transparency and user-centricity are key. How the rebellion began As an ethically conscious business, we’ve been investigating digital ethics and building our stance for a long while, but our first big move came in November 2021 when we officially removed ourselves from social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, due to their deliberately addictive, and harmful, user environments. By this point, we had accumulated millions of followers across the platforms and recognised the power of social media for engaging customers. However, when the Facebook whistleblower incident of 2021 brought to light the harmful practices that social media companies were knowingly inflicting on users, we felt compelled to take a stance. Our decision to step away from these platforms was met with a great deal of support from our customers, who backed our belief that social media companies should do more to protect their users and their users’ data. This was also confirmed in our Digital Engagement report, which stated that 62 per cent of consumers said they respect a brand that cares more about a social media platform’s ethics than the number of people they can reach. It’s been a learning curve, operating in a digitally driven world without the use of social media, but ultimately our business has continued to thrive and despite initial scepticism from the industry, we’ve maintained healthy online growth. How the rebellion continues We’re taking on big tech beyond just social media, we’re also moving away from giants such as Google, and have committed to a digital divestment plan to reduce our spending on big tech by one-third. In the long term, we want to have zero reliance on these companies, in favour of interacting with our customers in more ethically sound online spaces led by smaller, more agile, and open-source communities. UK-headquartered Lush has often been referred to as a campaigning company fronted by a soap shop, due to our dedication to speaking out about what we believe in, and we plan to stay true to these campaigning roots in our fight against big tech. Having found that a staggering 70 per cent of consumers want better global legislation that protects the safety of people online (again from our Digital Engagement report) we’re on a mission to help make this a reality. For example, most recently we held a digital campaign over Black Friday encouraging customers to escape from big tech with our aptly named and shaped ‘The Cloud’ bath bomb. One hundred per centof proceeds from this campaign were donated to the social justice movement People vs Big Tech, whichrepresents over 100 organisations and 71 million people fighting for better legislation. Transparency is and will continue to be at the core of everything we do. Within our privacy policy, we’ve strived to ensure that our customers have a clear understanding of what data is collected and how it’s used. This shift isn’t just about compliance; it’s about empowering our customers with control over their data, fostering trust, and building enduring relationships. Why more retailers should join the cause Despite how it may sound, we’re very optimistic about the future of tech and how it can help drive positive societal change. We’re seeing more consistent commentary on tech monopolies and an increased appetite for a decentralised, open web. Additionally, as emerging technologies and younger generations collide with force, we are beginning to peek over the horizon of a brighter, safer future online. As a key player in this tech-driven world, with front-row access to coveted consumer data, the retail industry has a crucial obligation to help bring this to fruition. In doing so, we have a unique opportunity to win back the trust of customers who have grown disillusioned by brands following the status quo, and position ourselves at the forefront of the future of ethical retail. This story first appeared in the February 2024 issue of Inside Retail Australia magazine.