Sephora overtakes Marionnaud in French retail

Mass market fragrance, make-up and beauty care products enterprise Sephora, a subsidiary of LVMH, has reportedly moved into a position of market leadership in France in 2009, pushing its main competitor Marionnaud into second place.

Sephora lost ground to Marionnaud in 2001. Last year it increased sales by a modest 0.2% but in the four months to April this year sales rose 2.1% against a background of a market in slight decline.

Sephora president Jacques Levy said this growth demonstrated that the company's strategy of differentiation and service was continuing to attract clients, even those who just wanted to purchase their bottle of Chanel No 5 or Dior J'adore. Best selling products last year included Bare Minerals, the Rexaline hydrating cream and the Yes To Carrots brand. This last product has proved such a success that Sephora is to launch the company’s parallel product called Yes To Tomatoes. A range of make-up products designed in collaboration with Fred Farrugia, formerly of Lancôme, is also being launched.

The company has 258 points of sale in France and will open a further 20 this year focusing particularly in the smaller towns with populations less than 100,000.