Heading into 2020, mass marketers felt like they were getting their mojo back when it came to beauty and personal care, elevating the shopping experience and product assortment. After two years of flat growth, Nielsen numbers for the 52-week period ended December 29, 2019, showed overall health and beauty care sales in mass doors advancing 1.7%—a small but notable increase.
Mass marketers still had a lot of ground to regain, having lost their once-dominant share of beauty sales to online, department, and specialty stores. The “essential” designation during the coronavirus pandemic had a profound impact on retailers’ bottom line.
Sales data from IRI for the first half of 2020 tells the tale of the industry, as large soap and sanitizer sales skyrocketed, products and categories that support DIY solutions saw significant growth, while color cosmetics and fragrance saw declines.
