Beauty company Avon has reported that one year on from the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic it has seen a 30% increase in Avon Reps joining its UK business as people explore new earnings opportunities.
The Norfolk Broads led the pack regionally with the number of Reps signing up more than doubling (+233%) in the past 12 months. Brighton and Hove and Lewes were the second and third ‘Avon capitals’ of the UK.
The increase in Rep sign ups follows new data from the UK's Office of National Statistics revealing more than 1.72 million people were unemployed, signalling a jobs crisis in the UK.
To support its UK Reps during the crisis and to entice more people into the role, Avon has reduced its threshold to earn from £90 to sales of any product; this means Reps can earn 15% on sales of 1p and over.
“The economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to impact communities across the country,” Angela Cretu, CEO of Avon, said.
“Unemployment continues to rise, many households are on reduced incomes and thousands of parents are trying to balance childcare or schooling at home with their own work commitments.
“We know that women are disproportionately bearing the brunt of these impacts, and as a result we’ve seen a surge of new Rep signs ups as women look for new, more flexible, ways to earn.”
She added: “Avon has a rich heritage in enabling women to earn and learn and become entrepreneurs on their own terms and is something that we’re very much focused on since the pandemic took hold.
“Over the past 12 months we’ve reduced the threshold to earn, helped our Avon Reps embrace new online opportunities, supported them with video workshops and tips and insights on making the most of social media to connect with customers.
“Already online sales have more than doubled in the UK as a result, with Reps being able to supplement or in some cases, completely replace lost incomes during these difficult times.”
