1.1 Definition and scope of study

The organic cosmetics market represents a sub-segment of the cosmetics market. A cosmetic product includes any substance used to clean, moisturize or alter a person's skin, hair, nails or teeth.

Cosmetics can be divided into two categories:

beauty products: make-up, perfume, skincare cream;
healthcare products: shampoo, soap, deodorant.

There is no legal treatment or distinction between the terms 'organic','natural' or 'naturally produced' in Italy. To be considered organic, a cosmetic product must contain at least 90% natural ingredients [Ecocert]. Nevertheless, public opinion tends to identify them as products containing ingredients of natural and unprocessed origin. We will therefore take into account these two meanings of the word (certified organic and natural) in this study.

In Italy, the cosmetics market experienced a unprecedented performance in recent years, thanks in particular to the positive perception of products. Production and exports have increased every year since 2009. More specifically, the organic sector is progressing as the trend of consumers towards natural and organic products extends from food to personal care.

1.2 A well oriented global market

The global cosmetics market

According to Euromonitor, the global market for beauty and personal care as a whole generates about *** billion dollars. The year **** was the best performing year since ****.

In ****, the region Asia-Pacific alone represented more than one-third of the total market value . China is considered to be one of ...

1.3 Natural beauty in Italy

According to the annual report of the Centro studios di Cosmetica Italia on beauty, the cosmetics market in Italy is estimated at about **.* billion euros in ****.

Share of organic cosmetics in the total market

By order: Total share of cosmetics/Share of organic cosmetics

Source: ****

Indeed, the segment of organic cosmetics ...

1.4 International trade

UN Comtrade provides data on production and international trade. In ****, for the category "cosmetics, beauty, make-up, skincare, manicure or pedicure, ****", the exports in Italy amounted to approximately *.* billion dollars while the imports totalled *.* billion dollars.

Foreign trade in the cosmetics category, Italy, ****-****, millions of US dollars

By order: exports, imports, ...

2.1 Demand that adapts to new trends

According to a study by the French Institute of Public Opinion IFOP (***) in ****, we have witnessed in recent years a profound change in the transformation affecting purchasing decisions. Consumers are giving more and more importance to organic and natural products. This new awareness is influencing preferences and purchasing habits in ...

2.2 Determining factors and levers

The rise of consumer awareness

The natural and organic cosmetics market in Italy is strongly influenced by consumer perception and awareness due to the absence of a national regulatory framework. Consequently, the demand for products is subjective, as it is strictly linked to the final consumer.

A study conducted by the ...

3.1 Market organization and dynamics

The growth of the Italian organic sector as a whole is one of the drivers of the cosmetics market in Italy. In December ****, more than ** *** organic companies were identified, a *.*% increase compared to the previous year. In addition, there is a significant concentration of companies in the South of the country ...

3.2 Changing distribution channels

The specific growth and expansion of distribution channels illustrate the exceptional growth of the organic cosmetics segment.

Organic shops are representative of a state of mind that has been present in Italy for more than ** years: the opening of the first organic store in Milan dates back to ****.

However, the "natural" ...

3.3 E-commerce, a double-digit growth

The Euromonitor data highlights the exceptional performance of the online retail segment in the personal care and beauty market. The year **** showed a positive double-digit evolution of this channel, around **%.

Purchasing habits significantly adapted to digital technologies. In ****, **% of Italians have made one or more online purchase per month. This change ...

4.1 The ingredients used

According to COSMOS - the international non-profit organization producing organic standards - organic cosmetics contain five categories of ingredients:

water; mineral elements; physically processed agro-ingredients; chemically processed agro-ingredients; other ingredients.

An agro-ingredient is "any substance of plant, animal or microbial origin from agriculture, aquaculture or harvesting".

Each category of ingredients must ...

4.2 A greener cosmetics offer

While there is no doubt that demand for organic products has increased, this increase has been accompanied by an evolution of the offer where we find this strong upward trend.

As mentioned above, more than **% of the total cosmetic product launches in **** were presented as "organic" - proof that the organic ...

4.3 Various supply trends

A green product across the entire value chain

In view of the interchangeable terminology (***) and the absence of harmonised regulations on organic cosmetics in Italy, it is difficult to have a complete overview of all products labelled as organic.

Not all certified entities take into consideration the entire product supply chain. ...

4.4 Structure of the offer and key products

The products of skin care undoubtedly generate the highest turnover. This applies to both the global cosmetics marketplace - which represents about $*** billion - and to the European market - which represents approximately **.* billion euros. [***]

Similarly, promising economic results can be observed for this category of organic cosmetics.

A distinction is ...

5.1 Higher prices compared to non-organic cosmetics

Organic cosmetics generally tend to be sold at higher prices than non-organic cosmetics. Among the reasons that can be given to explain these prices, in addition to a willingness to pay to acquire those type of product, there is also the need to use more natural resources at an increased cost ...

5.2 Terminologies that are sometimes confusing

There is a great deal of confusion about the definition and identification of "organic" cosmetics. The first step towards a better understanding of the product is to differentiate between the following categories:

natural cosmetics, which contain extracts of natural origin and/or ingredients of natural origin (***) [***]; organic cosmetics, which contain raw ...

5.3 The various regulatory bodies

European regulation

Cosmos (***) governs organic and natural cosmetic certifications. There are two certifications:

*. Organic Cosmos focus on ingredients used and finished products:

Ingredients: at least **% of physically processed "agro-ingredients" must be organic. Finished products: at least ** % of the total product must be organic - with some exceptions.

*. Natural Cosmos: ...