Austrian households are continuing to spend more money on cosmetics and personal care products. According to a study by YouGov Shopper Intelligence, households spent an average of EUR 237 on personal care products last year, purchasing 54 packs. That was EUR 8 more than in 2023 - with the same number of products. Hair, oral and skin care products in particular became more expensive, mainly due to higher raw material, transport and energy costs. According to the study, 95 per cent of all households buy cosmetics and personal care products, which equates to 205 million packs. On average, they buy twice a month for 10 euros each.

Natural cosmetics are losing out

While facial care, hair shampoo, lip care and colour cosmetics have become more popular, body care products, toilet soaps, deodorants and bath additives have declined. The oral and dental care market remained stable. Body care products such as deodorants, razors and soaps accounted for 40 per cent of spending. Skin care accounted for a quarter of purchases. Hair care and oral and dental care accounted for 17 and 18 per cent respectively. The demand for natural and near-natural cosmetics has fallen compared to the previous year. Less than half of Austrian households bought these products. Compared to 2023, the proportion of buyers therefore fell again by 3.2 percentage points. This is attributed to the economic situation, which is prompting consumers to choose cheaper alternatives.

Drugstores are most popular

Just under two thirds of all products were purchased in drugstores, while pharmacies, discounters, perfumeries and grocery stores remained constant or recorded slight declines. Drugstore retail increased slightly by 1.6 percentage points compared to 2023. This means that five years after the pandemic, it has regained market share that was lost to discounters and grocery retailers due to lockdowns. YouGov Shopper Intelligence surveys the shopping behaviour of 4,000 representative Austrian households every year. The panel reflects the four million Austrian private households and records their household requirements for cosmetics and personal care products.

Source: kosmetik transparent