Rising incomes drive beauty demand
dubai — Consumer spending on beauty products across the UAE and the GCC is set to increase in the coming years, with some of the fastest growth being recorded in the men’s care and organic products segment, experts at Beautyworld Middle East 2018 said.
The 23rd edition of the international trade fair for beauty products, hair, fragrances and well-being opened on Tuesday, with a new record in exhibitor numbers and exhibition space. Dawood Abdulrahman Al Hajiri, director-general of Dubai Municipality, inaugurated the event, which features 1,736 exhibitors from 62 countries. Running until May 10, the 3-day event is marked by the presence of 24 country pavilions, including debut pavilions from Peru, Palestine and Russia.
Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of the show’s organiser Messe Frankfurt Middle East, told Khaleej Times that international participation has grown by more than 20 per cent at the event. In terms of market trends, he said there was a greater focus on men’s care and organic products, driven by increasing awareness and the availability of new products.
“Developing markets such as the Middle East and Africa are among the fastest growing in the beauty industry, driven by rising disposable incomes and younger demographics that are increasingly connected and informed. It’s estimated that the retail value of the MEA’s beauty and personal care market will be worth $35.9 billion in 2018, and will continue to grow at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 10 per cent over the next 4 years,” Pauwels said.
According to Euromonitor International, consumers in the UAE spent $247 per capita on cosmetics and personal care, more than any other country in the Middle East, and ninth worldwide; this is forecast to grow to $294 in 2020. This means that a greater number of international companies are interested in expanding their beauty exports to the region.
Ludovic Pouille, ambassador of France to the UAE, said the increase in the number of French companies participating at the event this year is not a surprise, given the popularity of French beauty products across the world and the Middle East. “Our participation has grown by more than 30 per cent over last year. When you think of perfumes and cosmetics, you think of France. The interest in French products has always been high, and will keep on increasing in the next few years. Not only are we regarded as having the best quality products, but we are also known as being the most innovative in the industry.”
He added: “The UAE is a very important market for us. Not only is it one of our main destinations for the export of our beauty products, but it also provides us a valuable link to the rest of the GCC and the Middle East. There is also great potential for us to do more in the region. In particular, our SMEs in the beauty sector are showcasing a lot of innovative products, especially in the organic segment, which we know will prove to be popular in the UAE.”
Ekaterina Petrova, senior expert, fairs and exhibitions, Russian Export Centre, said that 13 companies across various segments were making their debut at the exhibition. “We want to showcase the quality and range of our products. We are focusing very heavily on the use of completely organic materials, and this is very important to us especially when it comes to making products for children. We want to showcase our products, not only to consumers in the UAE, but also to consumers across the rest of the Middle East and in other places such as India and Pakistan. As of now, some of our companies already have a presence in markets such as Turkey and Iran, but we want to promote them further.”
— rohma@khaleejtimes.com