NEW YORK (AP) – Beauty product retailer Sephora said Wednesday it will strengthen the number of black-owned brands, reduce security to third parties and offer more inclusive marketing as part of a plan to combat racial bias in their stores.
The company revealed its plan when it published the findings of a commissioned study that examined in depth the racial bias in the retail shopping experience in the US.
The study, based on a combination of worker and buyer surveys and academic research, began in the fall of 2019 and ended in late 2020. It found that two out of five U.S. retail buyers have personally experienced an unfair treatment for skin reason or for your skin tone. It was also found that black shoppers are more likely than white shoppers to receive unfair treatment based on their skin color.
The issue of racial bias has become more important to businesses in the wake of nationwide protests over police brutality last summer after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
As part of the plan, Sephora, a division of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, plans to double the assortment of black-owned brands to 16 by the end of the year. It will also feature featured black-branded advertising through a dedicated tab on the Sephora website. It also plans to launch a new greeting system for shoppers from all stores to ensure a more consistent experience.
Among other changes: Sephora will also reduce the presence of third-party security agents in its 500 U.S. stores and use more in-house specialists as a way to minimize buyers ’concerns about the police.
“We know we are in a good position to influence the positive changes in the retail industry and society at large and it is our responsibility to intensify,” Jean-Andre Rougeot, president and CEO of Sephora Americas, said in a statement.