The main brands chosen by Italians are Nivea, Garnier, Lines, and Dove. According to a recent survey from 2020, the main factors that influence this choice are quality, efficacy, and previous experiences with the product. The results of the survey also reveal that the “made in Italy” stamp plays a secondary role in the purchasing decision of cosmetic products. Indeed, the most popular brands in Italy are not Italian. Moreover, a further survey from 2020 shows that Italian consumers choose to buy given products for a specific gender. For instance, most of the Italian respondents declared to buy deodorants considering the gender this product was meant for. Similarly, shaving products were among the most common items people purchase for a specific gender, instead of choosing a gender-neutral product.
In the domestic market, body care, facial care, hair care, and perfumes are the most valuable products. The face care products generating the largest consumption value were anti-ageing, anti-wrinkle, moisturizing, and nutrient creams. In recent years, the consumption value of cosmetics products in Italy increased overall, reaching over ten billion euros in 2019. In terms of value, the largest share of products were sold in hypermarkets, supermarkets, single-brand stores, and herbal shops. Perfume shops and pharmacies were the second and third most valuable channels for this category of products.
Another important retail channel in the cosmetics market is e-commerce. Indeed, the number of online purchases of cosmetics increased significantly over time. The main reasons why Italian consumers choose online shopping for cosmetics are better prices and special deals they find online. An additional factor that might lead shoppers to choose to buy online is the easiness of online shopping. In fact, according to the results of a survey, the share of consumers that purchase cosmetics and make-up online by smartphone has been growing. On the other hand, an increase in online shopping could mean a loss in revenues for physical shops. For instance, the company Kiko S.p.A. is the Italian leading company for make-up. However, in 2018, the revenues of Kiko dropped. That year, the Italian beauty company closed 137 stores, which accounted for 13 percent of all stores.
