No paid coverage
Shelfproof does not sell reviews, placements, ranking positions, or pre-publication approval. There is no tier of coverage a brand can buy. If that ever changes, it will be labelled unmistakably and it will not touch the scored reviews.
Gifting, PR and events
Press samples do not obligate coverage and do not affect a score. Where a review relies on a gifted unit rather than one we bought, the review says so. We decline paid trips, brand ambassadorships and equity in companies we cover.
Conflicts of interest
Contributors disclose any consulting, formulation, retail or family relationship with a brand before being assigned to it, and are recused where the relationship is material. Nobody scores a house they have worked for.
Fairness
A brand facing significant criticism is entitled to have its own published position represented accurately, and to have a documented factual objection considered. It is not entitled to soften a conclusion drawn from evidence.
Harm and health claims
We are careful with ingredient-safety language. Dose, exposure route and concentration decide whether an ingredient is a risk, and scare framing helps nobody. Where a claim touches health, we say what the evidence supports and where it runs out.