Direct-selling beauty brand Avon has said it is preparing for a ‘tidal wave’ of new representative sign ups as Covid-19 redundancies grip the UK.
Since lockdown began at the end of March, Avon sales people more than doubled in the UK/market with an increase of 114% year-on-year, adding to its five million workers globally.
The brand has referred to the nationwide layoffs as a ‘pink-collar recession’, with women expected to explore ‘new, flexible and digital earning opportunities’.
“As a recession tightens its grasp on communities in the wake of Covid-19, people are looking for new ways to earn,” said Angela Cretu, Avon’s CEO.
“Avon has been providing an opportunity for our Reps to earn and learn by selling through their social networks for nearly 135 years, and we’ve reinvented our model of social selling for the next era.”
She continued: “As people look for new flexible ways to earn, we are ready for a tidal wave of new sign ups and hope our representative recruitment drive will help female entrepreneurs break through these difficult times.
“Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, we’ve seen our five million representatives pivot their businesses to provide support to the most vulnerable by picking up prescriptions and shopping, to checking in on neighbours.”
The news comes as a number of retailers announce staffing cuts in order to cope with flat sales and reduced footfall.
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