From SMEs to multinational companies, the actors of the cosmetic industry the world over are numerous and different. The consumer may think that, by switching from a brand “A” to a brand “B”, or from this retail network to that retail network, he opts for products from different companies. Not that sure! In the end, the cosmetic world is built on a score or two of major entities that share half the sales on three continents (USA, Europe, Japan.) A recap.
The world’s nbr 1has celebrated its 100 th anniversary in 2009. Its revenues top € 20.3 bn (circa USD 26 bn; GBP 15.9 bn) for 2011. From the large retail outlets to the luxury retail shops, from dermocosmetic to professional products, it has no less than 40 worldwide known brands, from its own, bought, under license or distributed by its commercial branch, LaScad. Its latter buy: Cadum, in April 2012, for € 200 millions.
Established in the USA in 1837 by William Procter, a candle manufacturer, and James Gamble, a soap manufacturer, this multinational company, the owner of Pampers, Braun, Gillette, Tampax, Ariel or Mr Propre had 2011 revenues in the € 64.2 bn range (24 % of these, i.e. € 15.4 bn for its Beauty sector.) It owns more than 20 brands of cosmetics and perfumes in the world, from its own, bought or under license.
An international group specialised in food (Amora, Carte d’Or, Knorr, Lipton, Maille…on the French market), household products (Cif, Omo, Persil, Skip, Sun…) and healthcare products, Unilever has in its range more than 20 cosmetic brands worldwide, nine being on the French market. Its 2011 revenues come to € 46.5 bn, 15.5 for Beauty …
