The Ordinary takes swipe at ‘overinflated language’ used to sell beauty via global pop-up

By Amanda May | Published: 27-Apr-2026
Retail Marketing

The Ordinary’s grocery store experience, taking place in six cities globally, claims to reveal the ‘buzzwords and tactics’ brands use to justify inflated prices, stating: ‘if beauty mark-ups were applied to everyday groceries, we would never stand for it’

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The Ordinary is taking a swipe at the “overinflated language used to sell beauty products” via a bold pop-up taking place across six cities globally.

The Markup Marché activation claims to “peel back the layers of extreme mark-ups seen in beauty” via the Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) owned-skin care brand’s new immersive grocery store experience.

The aim is to drive consumer curiosity around industry marketing “in a world where luxury products are marked up by as much as 12 times”, with each aisle designed to reveal the “buzzwords and tactics” The Ordinary claims brands use to justify the inflation of their prices.

At The Markup Marché, a banana is labelled as an All-Natural Magical Energy-Boosting Bar, priced at US$175.90; while a coconut is named an Exotic Thirst Defying Hydration Vessel for $195.50 and an avocado a 100% Natural Glow-Enhancing Vitality Orb for $305.90.

“The message from the activation is clear: if beauty mark-ups were applied to everyday groceries, we would never stand for it,” read a statement from The Ordinary.

Amy Bi, VP of Brand at The Ordinary, told Cosmetics Business: “The Ordinary was founded on a simple mission: to make quality skin care accessible to everyone by focusing on science and clear ingredient education.  

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“For too long, the beauty industry has used vague marketing terms to justify inflated prices. 

“The Markup Marché brings these practices into the familiar world of the grocery store for a relatable comparison.

“We would not pay these prices for groceries, so why should we in beauty?

“This campaign is centred on our commitment to democratising skin care innovation and bringing

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