the cosmetics market | France

1.1 Presentation and definition

In France, cosmetic products are defined by article L.5131-1 of the Public Health Code as "any product intended to be placed in contact with superficial parts of the human body, with a view to cleaning, perfuming, modifying the appearance, protecting them, maintaining them in good condition or correcting body odours " . This category therefore includes healthcare products (moisturizing creams, anti-wrinkle creams, body moisturizers, etc.) and make-up products (foundations, powders, varnishes, mascaras, etc.).

France has a significant competitive advantage in this market, with representative companies in the sector such as L'Oreal and Yves-Rocher exporting and benefiting from a demand very dynamic in emerging countries such as India. However, the market is highly competitive and concentrated in the hands of a few cosmetic giants, who must constantly innovate and reinvent themselves to keep up with the evolution of consumers' needs and hinder the entry of a growing number of small specialized players. Indeed, the growing interest in issues such as sustainable development and the environment, or the increased attention paid to the origin of products, require the giants of the sector but also the new entrants to review their positioning Also, many manufacturers now offer organic products in order to meet a very strong demand in recent years.

With the Covid-19 crisis and pandemic-related restrictions (telecommuting, wearing masks, etc.), sales of beauty products fell by about 17% in the first six months of 2020, with a different impact depending on the different market segments. [ LCI ...] We can see that hygiene-related products are up compared to 2019, while the lipstick market is suffering from a 75% drop in sales over the first half-year and 26% over the whole period. [ LCI ]