LSN : News : Mars backs gene-edited cocoa for climate-resilient chocolate

Beame unveils colour-changing UV stickers for effortless SPF re-application

Beame, UK

UK – Sunscreen start-up Beame has unveiled Under the Spotlight, a set of colour-changing UV detection stickers that tell wearers exactly when to re-apply sunscreen.

Launched in May 2025, the stickers aim to tackle a common problem: nearly 70% of sunscreen users fail to top up their protection during the day, leaving skin vulnerable to UV damage (source: British Association of Dermatologists).

Founded by beauty entrepreneur Eniye Okah, Beame blends SPF with UV-sensing technology to make suncare both effective and enjoyable. The waterproof, vegan and cruelty-free stickers start clear and turn purple when protection has worn off, working with both lotions and sprays across all skin tones.

Targeting Gen Z and Millennial consumers, particularly those with skin of colour, Beame’s products are designed to make sun protection a habit rather than a chore. Retailing for £10 ($13.55, €11.60) for 36 stickers, the brand positions itself as a suncare innovator, combining skin health with lifestyle appeal.

For more insights on suncare innovations to watch, read our Future Forecast 2025: Beauty report.

Strategic opportunity

Beyond stickers, consider how jewellery, smartwatch or fitness tracker brands could integrate UV exposure alerts too

Mars backs gene-edited cocoa for climate-resilient chocolate

US – Confectionery brand Mars is teaming up with biotech firm Pairwise to accelerate the creation of climate-resilient cocoa using CRISPR-based gene editing.

The partnership grants Mars access to Pairwise’s Fulcrum platform, a library of plant traits that can be tailored to improve disease and heat resistance – key threats to the world’s chocolate supply.

The move comes amid ongoing cocoa market turbulence. As highlighted in our Is Cocoa Past Its Sell-By Date? report, 60% of cocoa is sourced from Ivory Coast and Ghana, where extreme weather and disease have cut yields, pushing prices to record highs.

This follows a wider industry trend in climate-proofing key ingredients. In October 2024, multinational coffee chain Starbucks invested in innovation farms to develop resilient coffee plants.

Experts warn volatility will persist, driving innovation in both cocoa preservation and cocoa-free alternatives. For Mars, the goal is to safeguard cocoa crops against climate pressures by creating cacao plants that can better withstand disease and extreme weather conditions.

M&M’s and Krispy Kreme, US

Strategic opportunity

Partner with biotech innovators to co-develop climate-resilient raw materials, reducing risk exposure and strengthening long-term brand sustainability strategies

Stat: British beauty and personal care sector outpaces the UK economy

Meet Faces of Music, Sephora

UK – According to the latest The Value of Beauty report by the British Beauty Council, the beauty and personal care sector contributed £30.4bn ($41.2bn, €35.2bn) to the UK economy in 2024.

Growth in the sector outpaces that in the UK economy by more than four times. This is primarily driven by an 8% increase in spending on personal care products and services by UK households. In 2025, the sector is set to support a total GDP contribution of £31.5bn ($42.7bn, €36.5bn), up 3% on 2024. Future projections account for steady conservative growth due to an expected slowdown in household spending in the next year.

The report also highlights a marked decline in export volumes to the European single market. The latter has fallen at a rate of 5.9% annually since the UK left the EU.

‘Beauty’s drop in exports and top exporting locations doesn’t come as a surprise given the repercussions of not only Brexit but also the fluctuation in trade red tape globally,’ says Millie Kendall OBE, CEO of the British Beauty Council. ‘With 70% of beauty's exports going to the EU, it’s markedly important that policymakers mitigate trading challenges to aid our global growth.’ She adds: ‘Education is one of our big macro-challenges, aesthetics and regulation is another, as is sustainability.’

For more insights on what’s new and next in beauty, head to our Beauty sector page.

Strategic opportunity

Given the dynamic nature of the British beauty industry, consider how to recruit, develop and retain British beauty talent to ensure local innovation is celebrated and to avoid brain drain