Article published the 29 Jun. 2020
General Assembly of COSMETIC VALLEY: after COVID-19
Post-Covid: new behaviors in the consumption of cosmetic products
Strongly impacted by the coronavirus crisis, the perfumery-cosmetics industry is questioning the sustainability of its industrial and economic model. To this end, a broad consultation is launched within the framework of the Estates General organized by the Cosmetic Valley competitiveness cluster to relaunch the sector . Among the first subjects of reflection: the appearance of new consumer behavior: after two months of sometimes anxiety-provoking confinement, the health crisis has highlighted the essential nature of cosmetic products. Far from the prejudices associating them with relative futility, they have proved to be singularly essential in the daily lives of consumers, whatever their country of origin or whatever the categories of products concerned (skin care, hairdressing, or toilet ). Several major trends have thus emerged:
Search for well-being and self-care
While the traditional circuits were de facto no longer accessible, consumption was postponed to the benefit of e-commerce and pharmacies. At the same time, practices such as " Do It Yourself ", or even " Do Everything Yourself ", have spread during confinement, with experimentation with professional gestures intended to maintain an intact relationship with beauty and an approach that one could even qualify as "Institute at home". The well-being provided by cosmetic products has thus brought real comfort to confined consumers seeking to combat stress.
hygienist wave
The emergence of a major hygienist reaction constitutes a second strong trend. Driven by a fear of contamination and contact, it has logically resulted in an explosion of hygiene and hand care products: according to some studies, this unprecedented craze is also likely to last until 2025. For equally obvious reasons, wearing a mask induces new habits and upsets the make-up segment, for example. From the journey within the points of sale to the on-site customer experience, the health crisis has finally led to a change in retail as a whole.
Digital reinforcement
Intuitively considered one of the most obvious repercussions of confinement, the rise of digital in this period has taken many forms: if e-commerce has naturally benefited from a refusal of in-store interactions, the strengthening of augmented reality is one of the future issues boosted by the crisis. The big winner of confinement, live video streaming has also flourished during this period and undoubtedly heralds a real and massive digital transformation of the recommendation model and, by extension, of consumption.
More responsible consumption
Beyond that, it is the relationship to consumption itself that is being deeply questioned: in this context, a quest for meaning in consumption patterns has emerged since confinement and continues. From individual concerns to a more collective commitment, the coronavirus crisis will ultimately have increased expectations in terms of sustainability and responsible consumption, but also around zero waste or short circuits. According to a study by AT Kearney taking into account the impact of Covid-19 and according to more than 75% of consumers questioned in this context, companies should have more significant influence on environmental decisions.
About the Estates General of the perfumery-cosmetics sector
- General States platform: https://eg2020.cosmetic-valley.com/
- Receipt of contributions: June 1 to July 17, 2020
- Presentation of the action plan on October 15 in Paris
Participants are invited to share their thoughts on 12 themes to identify the changes in the professions of our industry: Marketing, BtoC & BtoB Sales, Export, Innovation, Production, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Financing, Regulatory, Human Resources, Quality-Hygiene- Safety-Environment.
The Estates General of the perfumery-cosmetics sector will give rise to a feedback day on October 15, 2020 in Paris . In the form of plenary conferences and thematic workshops, it will unveil an action plan for the sector and the first concrete measures adopted. This day will take place in the presence of companies in the perfumery-cosmetics sector, researchers, training organizations, professional associations, learned societies and clusters. Organized by the Cosmetic Valley competitiveness cluster on the initiative of the States General, it will also bring together the Federation of Beauty Companies (FEBEA), the National Confederation of Aesthetics and Perfumery (CNEP), the National Center for Scientific Research ( CNRS) and the General Directorate of Enterprises (DGE). Unprecedented in its scope and objectives, it will give each of the actors involved the opportunity to contribute to this major reflection and to physically participate in this major face-to-face event which will constitute an important moment for the profession and will allow it to meet again after the unprecedented coronavirus crisis.
Created in 1994, labeled "competitiveness cluster" in 2005, COSMETIC VALLEY is today the cluster of the national French perfumery-cosmetics sector charged by the State with setting up a tricolor strategy to coordinate the actions carried out on the national territory at the service of a sector that brings together 3,200 companies, 80% of which are SMEs and VSEs and around a hundred major brands, representing all the cosmetics businesses: ingredients, processes, packaging, tests, finished products... With With a turnover of 45 billion euros and 246,000 jobs*, COSMETIC VALLEY embodies the new values of the "France brand" in the field of perfumery and cosmetics: innovation, performance, product safety, respect for the environment.
*Source: Asteres report for the FEBEA, 2019.
COSMETIC VALLEY France – www.cosmetic-valley.com
CAROLINE CRABBE PRESS OFFICE – 33 (0)6 10 19 36 31 – crabbecaroline@orange.fr
