Cosmetics in Germany - statistics & facts
A decreasing number of people in Germany showed a high willingness to spend money on cosmetics. Nonetheless, companies are not giving up. Industry figures demonstrate a slight increase in revenue in recent years, with around 6.43 billion euros recorded in 2023. The German cosmetics market is represented by an enormous array of products catering to both men and women, as well as various budgets – from brands and items available in drugstores to high-end luxury options. Companies such as Beiersdorf are well-known around the world, owning and distributing classic German brands like Nivea and Eucerin.
While interest in cosmetics may vary, once consumers are using products, there seems to be more attention devoted to which ingredients are used in production and how these may affect health, also long-term. Companies invest in production and marketing to handle the tide of changing consumer behavior compared to earlier decades. They also need to consider how customers can contact them or simply share their experiences with a given product. To do the latter, actually contacting a company via e.g. customer service is not necessary anymore. The age of social media posts and influencers has added a new dimension to the cosmetics market. Just one post can go viral, making or breaking the success of a lipstick or the newest deodorant. This is key for the future of the cosmetics market, as consumers also tend to look to other consumers when making purchase decisions.
Feeling pretty
Product categories can be mostly grouped as follows, each of them encompassing a broad range of product types: fragrances, body care, skin care, face or facial care, hair care, and decorative cosmetics, commonly referred to as make-up. Competition among brands increases as consumer behavior and views may change, in addition to product prices having during Germany's heightened inflation in recent years. German consumers showed varying degrees of interest in skin and body care, though figures for each level of interest did not change significantly. The corresponding survey split categories into especially, moderately and hardly or not at all interested. Around 32.3 million people were moderately interested in 2024.Seeking sustainability
Cosmetics users are no strangers to seeking out sustainable consumption. Established companies in the industry are consequently either changing and communicating environmentally friendly production practices, or facing competition from other cosmetics brands who declared themselves green from the beginning. Generally, definitions of natural cosmetics state that a product labeled as such must include an overwhelming majority of natural ingredients. In Germany, the term natural cosmetics is not protected by law, which means that the final indicator of whether the product fulfills the appropriate criteria are certain types of seals on the packaging. These seals are issued in accordance with EU regulations. Natural cosmetics revenue only grew in Germany, amounting to 1.43 billion euros in 2022.While interest in cosmetics may vary, once consumers are using products, there seems to be more attention devoted to which ingredients are used in production and how these may affect health, also long-term. Companies invest in production and marketing to handle the tide of changing consumer behavior compared to earlier decades. They also need to consider how customers can contact them or simply share their experiences with a given product. To do the latter, actually contacting a company via e.g. customer service is not necessary anymore. The age of social media posts and influencers has added a new dimension to the cosmetics market. Just one post can go viral, making or breaking the success of a lipstick or the newest deodorant. This is key for the future of the cosmetics market, as consumers also tend to look to other consumers when making purchase decisions.
