Henkel Beauty Care France rethinks range to plug leaking sales

By

Sarah Ahssen

Translated by
Benjamin Fitzgerald

Published
Dec 13, 2017

The health and beauty section of hypermarkets and supermarket in France continue to be a grizzly area. Since the start of the year, sales in value terms for cosmetic products have slipped 2.5% across major retail networks, a 2.65 billion euro dip, according to research company, IRI. The decline has been caused by the dominance of other retail channels, most notably e-commerce and discounters. But, it's also the result of an overall drop in consumption as shoppers want to make more sensible purchases and turn toward safer beauty products. 

"The beauty market is difficult, but its future remains a flourishing one, especially digitally. We have to understand these new rules and codes," explained Delphine Eldin, head of marketing for Henkel Beauty Care France, which - since the start of the year - has seen its market share drop 0.4% across hypermarkets and supermarkets to 9.3%. In a bid to reboot sales and increase attractiveness across its beauty lines within major retailers, the German group, which owns Fa, Schwarzkopf and Diadermine, has had to rethink certain aspects of its collections. 

To appease the desire for safer products, in 2018 Henkel will position itself in the 'Free From' segment, offering products that are free from harsh ingredients such as polymers. Schwarzkopf, the fourth largest haircare brand in France, will release in January a new collection called Beology, made up of 14 products comprised of marine elements without the use of sulfates, silicon or parabens.

Henkel will also focus on being more natural, most notably with Barnängen, the Swedish brand founded in 1868, which the group has owned for the last two years. Sold in France since October in a partnership withe supermarket Monoprix, the brand, which is inspired by Nordic treatments and signature Swedish ingredients such as oats, elderflower and blackberry, will expand its distribution beginning in January.

But the group also wishes to attract new consumers, in particular within the skincare segment where sales have dropped by 2.9% and consumer numbers in France have declined 350,000.

To combat this, Henkel will release in January, Hydralist; a new line under Diadermine, which targets the highly coveted millennial crowd. Also worth noting is Henkel's targeting of men in the beauty arena for next year too.