7 April 2026
Today, AS Watson Health & Beauty Benelux, the parent company of drugstore chains Kruidvat and Trekpleister, launches the Nature Impact Score. The score shows the environmental impact of products at a glance.
With the Nature Impact Score, AS Watson shows its ambition to increase transparency in sustainability by adopting a single independent and universal standard. The company is also calling on the retail sector to embrace the methodology as an industry-wide standard.
The Nature Impact Score is based on the internationally recognized GSES methodology and is already being applied to around one thousand own-brand products. The score is clearly visible both in physical stores and across online channels. Ed van de Weerd, CEO of AS Watson Health & Beauty Benelux: “With the Nature Impact Score, we demonstrate within our trusted value-for-money proposition that sustainability does not have to be complicated. The score provides transparency, making it easier for customers to make their own informed choices. More sustainable options thereby become accessible to everyone. Together with GSES, we are driving the improvement of product impact.”
Actual product impact
The Nature Impact Score is displayed as a color (ranging from red to dark green) and provides insight into the negative environmental impact of a product, measured from the extraction of raw materials through to the point at which the product arrives in store. The score is composed of three sub-scores: environment (the impact on air, water and soil), circularity (how effectively materials are used, reused and recycled), and production footprint (the effects of substances released during production and transport on people and the environment). The three sub-scores are then combined with equal weighting into a single final rating. The Nature Impact Score distinguishes itself through its uniformity and simplicity, offering a fair and complete picture of a product’s actual environmental impact.
Van de Weerd: “By embracing a uniform standard such as the Nature Impact Score, AS Watson makes transparency around sustainability the obvious choice. As a market leader, we set the benchmark by demonstrating to the industry that sustainability is not a niche pursuit, but an achievable and accessible standard for millions of customers every week. At the same time, we recognize that our impact will be even greater if we can move beyond the vast number of existing quality marks. Consistent information for consumers is only possible if the entire sector speaks the same language.”
Independent and verifiable with GSES
GSES (Global Sustainable Enterprise System) is an international open standard that assesses organizations and products on their sustainability performance. All data is independently verified and certified, ensuring a reliable and transparent outcome. Each product is reassessed every two years to keep scores current.
Kelly Ruigrok, founder and CEO of GSES: “We are proud of our collaboration with AS Watson and delighted that the first results, after years of intensive work together, are now visible at Kruidvat and Trekpleister. AS Watson demonstrates that it takes sustainability seriously and makes it easier for consumers to choose sustainably through honest and transparent information about the impact of products.”
Share this post