Facial Skin Care

According to data from Symphony IRI France, the total facial skin care market there was worth €273.7m in 2010 (for sales in supermarkets and hypermarkets), a decline of 1.3% on the previous year. Volume on the other hand fared slightly better inching up by 1.2% to make 36.58m units. The normally popular category of moisturisers also fell by 1.3% while the anti-wrinkle and anti-ageing skin care category did see a value gain of 3.5%.

Things weren’t much more polished in Germany as the market there also fell by 1.3% to €596.29m, according to the latest data from Symphony IRI Germany. Volume-wise things fared even more badly as this category took a tumble of 3.3% to make 10.11m units.

Industry body Unipro reported that the Italian facial skin care market slid by 0.3% in 2009, even though the total market worth was a healthy €1.16bn. However the category of cleansing wipes did see healthy growth, putting on 5.6% to total €41.13m, while anti-ageing creams also scraped a small gain of 0.9% providing a chink of light in an otherwise dull year.

Things in Spain have taken an upward turn as the market grew from €590.75m in 2009 to €610.68m last year. Spaniards have cut back in many areas, and have switched from premium products to the much cheaper own label versions, but facial skin care seems to be one area where they have refused to do this. When it came to volume sales there was also quite positive news as the market grew from 8.6m units in 2009 to 10.85m units in 2009, according to Symphony IRI Spain.

Women in the UK may have turned away from some other C&T sectors but loyalty is strong with the skin care category. The market, according to Kantar Worldpanel, is now valued at £775.79m, a 4.5% growth on 2009 while volume sales also put on 4% to 210.84m units. The market grew an overall 7.7% with anti-ageing products holding steady (with 3.7% growth) but it was facial moisturisers that demonstrated the most recession-defying results, jumping by an impressive 19.5%.