A study by market intelligence provider Mintel has revealed that facial skincare was one of the strongest beauty categories for 2010 in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Despite the economic uncertainties, facial skincare’s market value within these five countries rose to €6.2 billion in 2010, up from €6 billion in 2009.
Skincare manufacturers are driving their NPD programmes to encourage female consumers to keep up their anti-ageing skincare routine. Europe is now the leading region for NPD - accounting for over half of all launches in 2010 among the three leading anti-ageing facial skincare markets. Asia followed in second place with 27 per cent, while North America took third place with an 18 per cent share.
“Launches of premium and luxe products gained momentum in the second half of 2010, and appear set to maintain the pace in 2011,” says Vivienne Rudd, senior European beauty analyst at Mintel. New anti-ageing products accounted for over 40 per cent of all European face and neck care launches in 2010. Among these product launches, 48 per cent of French products had a specific anti-ageing claim, with the UK not far behind at 44 per cent. Germany and Spain had 31 per cent and 30 per cent anti-aging claims respectively, followed by Italy with 17 per cent.
“Anti-ageing products are a key sector for the beauty industry, and the segment is set to grow over the next decade, with an ageing population supporting sales,” says Rudd. “The anti-ageing skincare market is well placed to withstand the economic pressures of the coming years.”
The research by Mintel shows that French women spent €32 per head in 2010 on anti-ageing products, Italian women spent €17.50 per head, British women were in third place with €15, German females spent €11.50, while Spanish women were recorded with the lowest spend with under €7 per head.
It is expected that spend per capita will fall slightly in 2011. Fine lines and wrinkles were the top ageing concerns for consumers throughout the five countries; as cited by 53 per cent of Spanish consumers, 48 per cent of consumers in France, 46 per cent of Italian consumers, 44 per cent of consumers in the UK, and just 33 per cent of German consumers.
*Based on information contained within ‘Anti-ageing Skincare - Europe – 2010’ by Mintel, which uses a sample size of 10,000 adults per country. (14 Jun)
© 2011 - ESM: European Supermarket Magazine
