Prestige beauty sales up 11% in first half of 2021
The prestige beauty market has seen an increase in sales in the first half of 2021, compared to the same period in 2020.
Research by market analyst the NPD Group found that sales of prestige skincare grew by 7% between January and June 2021, hinting that the market is recovering towards pre-pandemic levels, compared to the same period the previous year when sales were down by 22%.
Prestige fragrance sales also increased by 25% and accounted for 81% of the overall value sales growth.
Make-up, however, did not see the same rise in sales as skincare and fragrance, falling by 6% from last year, and 49% when compared to 2019.
While overall sales of prestige make-up have fallen, online sales increased by 8% in the first half of this year compared to 2020.
E-Commerce saw a rise of 23% in prestige beauty sales compared to the previous year, due to the various lockdown stages and the number of high street retailers closing their doors, with many brands turning to new digital techniques, such as offering virtual try on applications.
However, in positive news for salons and spas, in-person sales accounted for 64% of all prestige beauty sales in June 2021, following the lifting of restrictions in the UK.
Emma Fishwick, account manager at NPD UK Beauty, said: “After a very challenging year for the prestige beauty market in 2020, we are very pleased to see that consumers have not lost their love of premium and luxury brands.
“The market is changing rapidly and both brands and retailers are responding to these fast-paced shifts with innovation and new digitally technology, while still remaining focused on one-to-one experiences that connect the customer with the beauty consultant in-person, in-store."
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