French beauty market growth exceeds expectations

Published: 7-Feb-2012
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While UK market increases 9%


A new survey from the Paris-based arm of the market research group NPD shows the beauty care market withstanding the weaker consumer sector in France with growth of some 3% in 2011, based largely on sales of perfumes and make-up.

Sales of perfumes, creams, lipstick and other make-up products went up from around €2.7bn to €2.8bn, according to European data from NPD. The Spanish market in contrast dipped 1% to €1bn while the Italian beauty care sector rose 1% to about €1.8bn.

Growth in the UK market, however, reached 9% in 2011 at about €2.05bn (£1.7bn). The survey suggests this growth is linked to major store distribution in the UK, which have far higher rates of footfall than the specialist perfumery outlets.
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