Nina Jobst
Research expert covering South Korea
Beauty and personal care market in Spain - statistics & facts
Ranking fifth among all European countries, Spain secures its spot as one of the leading markets when it comes to the consumption of beauty and personal care products. While Europe as a whole consumed roughly 80 billion euros’ worth of cosmetics and personal care products in 2021, the Mediterranean country alone consumed close to seven billion euros.
In terms of segments, skin care shows the greatest potential within the beauty and personal care industry in Spain, making up almost a third of the entire market. Decorative cosmetics, on the other hand, hold the smallest share in the market. However, decorative cosmetics have a higher year-on-year growth than hair care and toiletries.
Furthermore, with over 600 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) located in Spain, the number of SMEs in the cosmetics manufacturing sector is one of the highest in comparison to other European countries. Still, there is no Inditex equivalent in the Spanish beauty sector.
While the beauty and personal care market in Spain is set to grow only slightly over the next couple of years, a recent surge in both imports and exports of these products indicates the steadily growing importance of the market.
Leading cosmetics companies in Spain
The Spanish cosmetics market is dominated by both subsidiaries of multinational enterprises (MNEs) and local businesses. Among the leading perfume and cosmetics wholesalers in Spain are the French cosmetic giant, L’Oréal, the American MNE, Johnson & Johnson, and the German Beierdorf AG, who owns the Nivea brand. As for Spanish businesses, the Málaga-based Perfumerías Primor (China Red S.L.) takes the lead, followed by Clarel, a brand of Beauty by Dia.Furthermore, with over 600 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) located in Spain, the number of SMEs in the cosmetics manufacturing sector is one of the highest in comparison to other European countries. Still, there is no Inditex equivalent in the Spanish beauty sector.
Preferred sales channels
While the mass market is still the number one distribution channel for perfumes and cosmetics in Spain, pharmacies make up a significant percentage of sales. It comes as no surprise that pharmacies are the leading purchase channels for dermocosmetics in Spain, a type of product that lies between cosmetics and dermatology. Furthermore, despite online shopping experiencing a surge in recent years, Spaniards clearly prefer the offline channels, buying cosmetics, perfumes, and personal care products in physical stores rather than online.While the beauty and personal care market in Spain is set to grow only slightly over the next couple of years, a recent surge in both imports and exports of these products indicates the steadily growing importance of the market.
