The organic cosmetics market - Portugal

1.1 Definition and scope of study

The organic cosmetics market represents a sub segment of the larger market for cosmetics. A cosmetic includes any substance used to clean, moisture or alter a person’s skin, hair, nails or teeth.

Cosmetics can be distinguished in two categories:

• Beauty products: e.g. make-up, perfume, skin cream
• Care products: e.g. shampoo, soap, deodorant

Organic personal care and cosmetic products are expected to not contain chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, aluminum salts and petrochemicals, which are potentially harmful to an individual’s health. However, there are several gray areas regarding the distinction between the terms ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ as it will be discussed further on.

Nevertheless, for a cosmetic to be considered organic, it has to contain, in principle, at least 95% of the ingredients certified as organic. [Soil Association]. The public opinion tends to identify them as those products containing ingredients derived from nature and not processed.

Despite macroeconomic circumstances in the last decade and recent turbulences regarding the pandemic, the Portuguese market for beauty and personal care remains rising. With an intense competition new brands are emerging rather quickly, and new products are being launched every year.

This growth is a result of several factors, such as the growing distress of Portuguese consumers regarding environmental issues and the rising concern towards their current physical appearance. In addition, the rising population's standard of living allowing Portuguese to travel abroad and have greater exposure to other cultures, where makeup is part of the daily female routine, are also factors to take into account.

Unlike other European countries such as Italy, UK and Germany, the organic sector is not yet consolidated, showing a considerable potential for investments. In fact, the country represents less than 4% of the total value of organic products in the EU. Nevertheless, the market is expending both from the demand side, with consumers leaning towards natural and biological, and from the supply side, with companies offering each time more possibility of natural products, expanding from alimentation to personal care.

1.2 The cosmetics market as a whole

The total retail sales value of beauty and personal care amounted to US$ ***.* billion in ****. The market is expected to grow in next decade, reaching US$ ***.* billion in ****, already accounting for the impact of the pandemic in the sales. The graphic below underlines a *.**% CAGR from **** to ****.

Market value of beauty ...

1.3 The Portuguese green beauty market

In Portugal, the retail value of cosmetics and personal care as a whole amounted to € *.*** billion in ****. [***] Nevertheless, organic labelled products are witnessing rising interest beyond groceries, with an incredible interest increase in apparel, tissue, hygiene and beauty segments. However, cosmetics remain as the largest consumption level after food and ...

1.4 International trade

UN Comtrade provides data on production outcomes. For the category “cosmetics, beauty, make up, skin care preparation, manicure or pedicure preparation ****” in **** exports in Portugal amounted to approximately US$ **.*** million while imports to US$ ***.*** million.

Trade of cosmetics Portugal, ****-****, in US$ million Source: ****

We can notice that, throughout the last ...

1.5 Covid-19 expected impact

The measures of social distancing and lockdowns imposed in Portugal and in other countries have severely impact the cosmetics market. Besides the shock in supply, the virus has also caused an impact in the potential demand. This is because shopping for cosmetics may not be considered first priority as consumers respond ...

2.1 Demand analysis and segmentation

The Portuguese Association of Distribution Companies indicates that **.*% of Portuguese consider to be important to buy organic products. In fact, * million people in the country actually do it every year. This type of consumption is predominant especially among women, individuals over ** years of age, residents in the southern region and in ...

2.2 Drivers of demand

Natural and cruelty-free awareness have rised on social media

In recent times, there is this a clear movement among the beauty blogs and social media accounts in favor of natural and cruelty-free products. Those channels that started as niche committed to the benefits of going chemical-free, are becoming more popular, and, ...

3.1 Production breakdown and dynamics

The global organic sector has been developing at a fast pace. In fact, in ****, the world had *.* million organic producers, a growth of *,***% since ****. In the same year, certified Portuguese producers and processors of organics amounted to over *.* thousand. [***]

Although the country’s organic sales have only increase in the past ...

3.2 Market analysis and dynamics

Regarding cosmetics as a whole, we undoubtedly have a highly competitive market. More than *.*** companies operate in the Portuguese beauty and personal care market, with more ** thousand establishments that operate in the sector of hairdressing salons and beauty institutes that also commercialize this kind of products. There are several well-established players, ...

3.3 A transformation of the distribution channels

Portuguese cosmetics market, evaluated through the turnover has an equal distribution between retail cosmetic and beauty institutes/saloons: **.*%  and **.*%, respectively. In addition, in ****, Portugal had over **,*** locations that offer beauty services **% of them were hair salons and **% beauty salons. The total turnover from these establishments amount to more than €*** million. [***]

At ...

4.1 Product analysis

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

- Water

- Mineral ingredients

- Agro-ingredients physically transformed

- Agro-ingredients chemically transformed

- Other ingredients

Agro-ingredient: “any substance of plant, animal or microbial origin derived from agriculture, aquaculture or harvesting”. [***]

Every category ...

4.2 Supply structure

The market for cosmetics and toiletries is fairly fragmented in Portugal, although extremely competitive, being subject to continuous new launches and product innovation, in order to maintain loyalty of consumers.

If we divide the analysis of the whole cosmetics market by products, we see that the distribution of value in terms ...

4.3 Supply trends

Anti-aging

There is indeed an increasing demand for multi-functional cosmetic products such as anti-wrinkle creams. Mature women represent the greatest portion of this trend, as they are waiting for the encounter between technological advances and natural remedies to give its favorable outcomes. [***]

Mono-portions

A unique packaging that enables the product to ...

5.1 Regulation

Organic cosmetic products commercialized in Portugal are subjected to the European regulation regarding cosmetics (***) and regarding organic products CE ***/**** and CE ***/****. The former relates to the organic production and the labelling of organics, and the second on the implementation of the rules of EC ***/**** with regard to production, labelling and ...

5.2 Portuguese and private certification processes

Organic certification is the ultimate standard for beauty products. In Portugal, the certification of organic is carried out by ** private control bodies accredited by  the Portuguese Institute of Accreditation and Certification (***). The certification is a control system, with the specific European regulation and a Portuguese standard, which guides the practices of ...

6.1 Segmentation

• Estée Lauder
• Unilever
• Coty (JAB Holdind)
• L’Erbolario
• Aveda (Groupe Estée Lauder)
• Lush