Spending on beauty up in China, despite cooling economy

By Lucy Whitehouse +, 27-Jul-2016, cosmeticdesign-europe

Chinese consumers are still keen to spend on beauty in China, according to newly released research from Mintel, with the majority of those surveyed stating they spent more on facial skin care in 2015 compared to 2014.

In 2014-2015 the total retail sales of cosmetics in China grew about 12%, as the article points it out and reached therefore the RBM 204.9 billion. According to Mintel the forecast for 2020: There will be still a high demand that will translate itself until 2020 into a RMB of 338 billion.  

The senior beauty and personal care analyst at Mintel explains that Chinese purchases move to online retailing, wherefore marketing will be key success factor for Chinese beauty brands. The number of consumers using mobile devices when paying their beauty products has doubled during the past 2 years.

As Chen believes “mobile is becoming the battlefield for beauty retailers”. The next challenge is therefore to engage customers through a pore personalized and targeted presentation of the offers.

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By Fflur Roberts, 18-08-2016+,Senatus, Luxury Society

There is much discussion about what a slowing economy in China means for the luxury industry. Euromonitor highlights the latest numbers and what it means for the industry.

Over the past decade, China and moreover the Chinese have led the world in luxury shopping. As a By 2015 China offered more luxury retail selling space than Japan and was fast catching up on the US, and the Chinese accounted for over a third of all global luxury spending.

According to Euromonitor International’s latest travel data, the Chinese made almost 3 million trips to the US in 2015, an increase of almost 8% on 2014 and a massive 206% increase in the last five years since 2010. During the same year they made 2 million trips to France, 5 million trips to Japan and 285 thousand trips to the UK.

Overview of the Economy

However in 2014 and 2015, mainland China posted its lowest growth in sales of luxury goods since our records began (a real decline of -3% and +1% respectively). Therefore, Beijing faces some serious challenges. The government wants to change strategy by reducing its reliance on debt-fuelled investment in construction and heavy industry and boosting consumption.

Individuals aged 45-49 are the largest group amongst top earners

Although individuals aged 30-34 commanded the highest average gross income in 2015, the age segment 45-49 represented the largest proportion amongst Chinese in the top income band (ie individuals with an annual gross income over US$150,000) in the same year. By 2030, the age group 40-44 will have become the most prominent amongst the country’s top income earners, representing opportunities for luxury services and high-end family orientated goods (especially given the relaxation of China’s one-child policy).

Between 2015 and 2030, China is expected to add in excess of 3.4 million additional individuals to this wealthy population, making it the fifth largest market in the world in terms of HNWI’s.

Income gap is expected to remain wide over the long term

One of the main determinants of income inequality in the country is the condition of urban/rural households, which also affects migrant individuals working in the city, but whose household registration (or “hukou”) is in a rural area.

Luxury brands need to re-think their growth strategies

The impact of a weakening economy is unlikely to stop wealthy Chinese consumers from travelling to buy their luxury goods, but it might change their destination of choice as well as total in-destination spend.

China’s grey luxury goods market

The main players in the grey market are professional shoppers, known in Chinese as daigou, who travel abroad to buy luxury goods in bulk (in effect, by filling their suitcases). They return home to sell their wares either directly or online, and it has developed into a business worth billions of US dollars.

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According to McKinsey (March 2014), by 2022, middle class in China will change considerably, mainly geographically.

Tier 1 cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen) might see their share of urban middle class decline (from 40% in 2002 to 16% in 2022) while it should be rising in tier 2 and tier 3 cities (for the latter, from 15% to 31%). This middle class could reach up to 630 million people in 2022, which is accounting for around half of the population in China, thus making China a middle class country.

Since they are now spreading, brands looking for customers will have to focus more on tier 2 and tier 3 cities and especially on middle class customers.

Source: Mc Kinsey

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Katy Barnato | @KatyBarnato
CNBC

Rising numbers of female millionaires and billionaires around the world may help drive a rise in luxury health and wellness holidays and women-only hotel services.

The number of female ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWI) – those with net assets of $30 million or more, excluding their primary residences - is increasing faster than male UHNWI, encouraging travel agencies, hotels and tour operators to focus on their interests. These include holidays that focus on "wellness" and can be combined with business or voluntary work, according to data provider, WealthInsight.

Rising numbers of female millionaires and billionaires around the world may help drive a rise in luxury health and wellness holidays and women-only hotel services.

The number of female ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWI) – those with net assets of $30 million or more, excluding their primary residences - is increasing faster than male UHNWI, encouraging travel agencies, hotels and tour operators to focus on their interests. These include holidays that focus on "wellness" and can be combined with business or voluntary work, according to data provider, WealthInsight.

"Interview and secondary research show that spas, yoga, meditation, health and wellness are appealing to female UHNWI," Roselyn Lekdee, economist at WealthInsight, told CNBC on Wednesday.

In a report on Tuesday, Lekdee said the number of wealthy females rose by 5.3 percent between 2010 and 2014 in locations with large UHNWI populations (see above). The number of male UHNWIs rose by 4.4 percent, although there were still far more male than female multimillionaires.

"As wealthy females have greater control over their careers and finances, they are becoming more selective about holidays, demanding personal and more sophisticated services," Lekdee said.

"Wellness" tourism can incorporate a wide range of activities including spa, yoga, detox, fitness and stress relief. The industry is worth $494 billion globally, according to the Global Wellness Institute, an industry body.

This type of tourism is growing and proving popular with solo travelers – and women. Several Asian countries are benefiting from the trend, with Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and India known for high-end health and wellness holidays.

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