British beauty is out of the loop, and there are many reasons behind this. But one of the most noteworthy reasons is arguably the shift in consumer habits and preferences in the post-pandemic era, especially the widespread emphasis among millennials and Gen Z on sustainable consumption, which has unlocked more growth possibilities for many brands committed to sustainability as they enter the consumer market.
In the sustainable consumption industry, what are the first beauty brands that have come to prominence?
When sustainable beauty becomes mainstream
Top perfumer Francis Kurkdjian said when creating the signature My Burberry for Buberry that he wanted to represent the English garden after rain that is different from the Versailles garden, seemingly unfertilized and pruned, but full of vibrant natural beauty. This unique "natural beauty" of the English garden is a good interpretation of the understanding and pursuit of beauty and makeup of many typical British brands.
My Burberry
Perhaps the most well-known British natural brand in the world is The Body Shop, where all products are not tested on animals and natural ingredients are purchased through fair trade. After nearly half a century of development, the business covers more than 60 countries and regions around the world, with more than 3,000 stores. At the same time, the British cruelty-free organic skin care brand Lush Lanshu has always adhered to the "green policy". Their "sustainability" is not only reflected in the freshness and vegan of the products themselves, but also their attention to the manufacturing and sales process and environmental interaction, and constantly improve their sustainable ethical standards by recruiting people with disabilities to introduce zero-plastic packaging products, etc. For this reason, Lush has gained a high reputation in the international market.
Lush opens Asia's first zero-packaging "naked concept store" in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, China
There are many British brands that also pay attention to harmony with nature and admire the charm of natural plants.
Founded in 2003 by former British Vogue beauty director Kathy Philips, This Works not only focuses on the face, but covers 24-hour scientific natural skin care solutions such as skincare, body beautification, bathing, sleep aid, etc., and has been widely acclaimed and has won 119 international beauty awards.
This Works
REN clean skincare, whose name comes from the Swedish word "clean", is regarded by the industry as a "pioneer of clean beauty" and environmental activist, and in 2018 REN launched the "Clean to Planet" initiative, investing more money in innovation in the goal of zero waste in all aspects of production, packaging and transportation.
CLEAN
Never before has the global cosmetics industry been more focused on sustainability and social responsibility, with companies expanding to provide education, develop sustainable employment opportunities and protect the environment together.
In the UK, for example, the British Beauty Council launched the Sustainability Alliance and held the Plastics Solutions Summit, launching the Planet Positive Beauty Guide, which sets an important time frame for the UK government to reduce carbon emissions. They have also established the UK Plastics Pact Brand Pledge to encourage participating brands to achieve 100% recyclable packaging by 2025. In addition, the Planet Positive Beauty Guide also publishes a series of initiatives to guide consumers to shop better and more responsibly, as well as help brand development that creates sustainable products.
This shift in the beauty industry is in line with what millennial consumers are pursuing today.
Generally speaking, consumers used to choose big brands based on popularity, advertising and efficacy, but now they have added multi-dimensional considerations of moral standards and spiritual values. Therefore, natural organic certification and sustainable development have gradually become mandatory from optional and plus points in the purchase decision-making process of consumers. More and more consumers are looking to quality certifications to ensure that the products they buy are honest, sustainable, and beneficial to the wider environment.
Concepts such as "pure makeup" have also emerged. The UK beauty industry, which has a certain accumulation in sustainable fields such as organic and natural, depends on the advantage of being the first to take the lead.
As early as 1970, as a non-profit charity, the Soil Association began to certify organic food, and successively developed a series of standards, and its organic specifications have a very strict quality assessment and certification process. Today's Soil Association's certified products also include beauty and beauty products. Its certified products have once become recognized by European countries as representatives of high quality and credibility in organic products, and have also gained many true love fans who are keen on environmentally friendly organic products around the world.
Since 2011, sales of certified organic and natural beauty products in the UK have grown by double digits for the 10th consecutive year. 2018 was a benchmark year, with plenty of data showing that sustainable beauty and wellness became mainstream. According to the Organic Beauty & Health Market Report published by the Soil Association in 2022, sales of organic and natural beauty and health products certified by the Soil Association increased by 15% in 2021 to more than £138.23 million.
Is the UK beauty industry about to break in China?
Today, the UK beauty industry is worth around £30 billion, making it the seventh largest cosmetics market in the world and the third largest in Europe. According to data released in 2021 by the CTPA (Cosmetic, Toiletry & Perfumery Association), the UK beauty and personal care market had sales of £9.8 billion, ahead of Germany (€14 billion) and France (€11.5 billion), with gargling and bathing products accounting for the highest proportion, followed by skincare, perfumes and hair products.
Globally, the UK has a market share of 25% in individual beauty and cosmetics categories. Even so, the UK seems to be "ambitious" for markets outside Europe: UK exports totalled £3.7 billion, with the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and France being the top five export markets.
Founded in 1799 as a British example of perfume art and elegant lifestyle, Atkinsons has now allowed more Chinese consumers to experience the charm of British royal fragrance through Sephora
Previously, the "fragrance of flowers in the wall" of the British beauty industry had not fully reached the Chinese market for a while. 84% of China's beauty and personal care market share is imported, with France and South Korea each accounting for about 20% and the UK accounting for only 4.5%.
Even so, the UK has remained optimistic and confident about the prospects for expanding overseas, especially in China's beauty market. This optimism and confidence is supported by multiple reports and data. According to the survey, Chinese consumers generally have a favorable opinion of British goods, with 64% of Chinese consumers surveyed buying more British goods than they did five years ago. In the same study, two-thirds of consumers said they were willing to pay more for the price of the beige brand because they thought "the quality of British goods is higher".
Among them, the representative long-established luxury fragrance brand Creed was founded in 1760, originated from the royal family and aristocracy, and has always adhered to the Millesime handmade fragrance process after 7 generations of family inheritance, and has long had a large number of Chinese fans. Creed's customer list is like the "Celebrity of the Century" and today there are 240 custom and publicly available fragrances, each legendary. Since last year, Creed has opened a number of franchise stores in China.
Creed Shanghai Xintiandi flagship store
According to 2021 data from HM Customs, the UK is China's second largest source of beauty imports in Europe, with an annual growth rate of up to 55% among the top 20 importers.
In addition to the fact that Chinese consumers have bought British beauty products through practical actions, which has allowed many brands and categories to flourish in China, the good news from the policy has also given a strong shot in the arm to the international beauty industry. With joint efforts and consultations with relevant Chinese authorities, including the UK government and industry bodies, China exempted "imported ordinary cosmetics" from animal testing from May 1, 2021. Under the new policy, the UK government expects to create new business opportunities and jobs worth £50 billion, leading to a potential market of at least £10 billion over the next five years.
ARgENTUM's classic product "Silver Cream" became popular in China due to a video of Faye Wong's daughter leaking the dresser, and founder Joy Isaacs has also visited China many times since 2018 with the brand, which is deeply loved by the media
This kind of sign suggests that the British beauty industry's territory in China may soon usher in a breakthrough.
According to Euromonitor's China market analysis report released in May 2022, the total sales of China's beauty and personal care market in 2022 exceeded 600 billion RMB, even after experiencing a slowdown in growth caused by COVID-19 in 2020, it quickly recovered in 2021 and maintained a steady upward strength. Health has become a top priority, and consumers have begun to pay attention to new directions such as cosmeceuticals, functional skin care products, and pure beauty, and the immature perfume market has performed particularly well. The report predicts that the Chinese beauty market can reach an average of 9% continuous growth in the 20-year period from 2006 to 2026. The potential of the Chinese market is a piece of cake that international brands, including British brands, cannot ignore.
With fierce market competition ensuing, can the UK stand firm in a market dominated by super beauty empires such as France, the United States, Japan, and South Korea in the past few decades?
When "Pure Beauty" is just starting in China, it is an opportunity for international brands, but also a challenge. This is a time when the global beauty industry is in a time of great change, and different countries and regions have different understandings and standards for concepts such as organic, natural, and green, and there is no quantitative international standard established. With the ambiguity of green beauty concepts already widely used as a means of communication, the bigger challenge is to make a positive impact on the world on the right path, so that more practitioners and consumers can benefit from truly sustainable products is an important first step. The entry of British beauty brands that have been deeply engaged in organic and natural for many years can obviously better establish market standards related to this, bring consumers truly green products, and play a role in promoting the development of the industry.
WE EXPECT THAT FAVORABLE POLICIES SUCH AS ANIMAL TESTING EXEMPTIONS WILL BRING A REPRESENTATIVE GROUP OF BRITISH BRANDS, AND CHANGES IN THE CHINESE MARKET WILL FOLLOW, AND WWD BEAUTYINC WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS GREEN STORM, LET'S WAIT AND SEE. WWD
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Written by Helena
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