Southeast Asia – is ASEAN a single market? 1-Sep-2011

Forging ten countries into one ASEAN market is a tough task for the southeast Asia cosmetics industry. Karryn Miller reports on developments from Hanoi

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) covers ten countries, each with a unique culture, mirroring the personal care product markets of the European Union (EU). However, these nations do share some similarities, maybe more than northern, southern and eastern Europe, when it comes to what consumers have inside their cosmetic cabinets. And ASEAN countries don’t only share similar consumer demands – they also increasingly have comparable cosmetic regulations, which can ease sales across the region for personal care product manufacturers.