Tesco is to set sparks flying on the cosmetics own label scene with the launch of several ambitious new lines designed to transform the image of its toiletries aisles. Three key lines - bnatural, Body Therapy Spa and Finest, relaunched as fragrance, gourmand and classic - will all hit the aisles from the beginning of February 2007. They will initially be available at 160 Tesco stores plus some of the company’s town centre Express and Home Plus stores.
Following extensive consumer research, the company has expanded its team of beauty experts - The Beauty Counsel - to help it develop luxurious but affordable products that meet the needs expressed by consumers. Tesco has worked with the likes of Barbara Daly (colour) and Bharti Vyas (skin care) for many years and has now extended its team considerably.
On the development of bnatural, senior technologist Marion Morley says: “We had a gap in our offer. Customers wanted organic, recycled, paraben-free, SLS-free, natural fragrances etc so we tried to pull it all together.” The result is a range of around 40 products, not all offering all of these things but offering certain elements of them. Two products that are organic are a hand wash and a cleansing bar, with a lip balm to follow. “We do want to make the range more organic but with one line we’ve already found it difficult to get supply. The decision made corporately is to be organic where we can,” says Morley. The skin care line contains Inca Inchi from the Peruvian Amazon and here Tesco says it is trying to work with local producers towards sustainability, but says this is hard to achieve.
Body Therapy Spa comprises four lines - Serenity, Vitality, Detox and Smooth & Svelte - developed in association with well-being expert and TV presenter Jasmine Harman.
For its Finest fragrance collection Tesco has worked closely with fragrance house IFF and TV gardener Rachel de Thame to create four fine fragrances with fragranced body collections: Lime, Mandarin & Vetiver; Red Rose & Jasmine; Ginger, Vanilla & Pink Pepper; and Fig, Almond & Cassis. All products are priced under £5. The Tesco branding is very discreet, printed very small on the box and not at all on the bottles.
The Finest gourmand line was developed with chef and author Sophie Michell and follows the two themes of Vanilla Crème and Tarte au Citron. Finest classic, designed to be beautiful and timeless, was developed with New York stylist Leslie Fremar, who used to work with fashion icon Anna Wintour at US Vogue.
What is consistent throughout the three Finest lines is the black strip identifying each product and the Finest sticker with a star on the top of packs.