Denmark leads the way
Denmark has the largest market for natural cosmetics in the Nordic region. According to a recent report by Organic Monitor [1], natural and organic products comprise 4% of total cosmetic and personal care product sales in Denmark. The country also has very high market share for organic foods, 7%; the highest in the world. “Danish consumers are high spenders on natural and organic products because of ethical and environmental concerns,” explains the consulting and training firm.
Widening availability is also driving market growth. Natural and organic cosmetics are making inroads in department stores, beauty retailers, supermarkets, drugstores and non-retail channels. However, health food shops still have the highest sales share.
Although imported brands are highly established, Nordic brands are showing a rise in market share. The Danish company Urtekram has taken market leadership. It has a strong market position in all country markets partly because of its extensive product range and distribution. It was the first company to launch Cosmos-certified organic cosmetics in the region. It also has products with the Fairtrade and Nordic Swan labels.
Ethical consumerism
Organic Monitor finds green labels are becoming increasingly important in the Nordic region. Consumers are increasingly looking for logos and symbols that represent ethical and/or environmental attributes. The Nordic Swan is most established for personal care products, recognised by over 90% of consumers.
Ethical labels will be featured in the upcoming Sustainable Cosmetics Summit Europe. Hosted in Paris on 21-23 October, at the Paris Marriott Champs-Elysées, an update will be given on the growing myriad of ethical labelling schemes for cosmetics & personal care products. Urtekram will be sharing its experiences with such labels at the summit.
