The 10 most important makeup drivers to purchase for Aussie women, local heroes: desire for Australian-made skincare soars, 2017 retail sales off to strong start, and net income for Adidas tops $1.4 billion.
The 10 most important makeup drivers to purchase for Aussie women
Value for money is the top driver to purchase for Australian women (60%) when it comes to buying makeup, says Roy Morgan Research. Aiming for a natural look comes in second (50%). But the biggest percentage jump which prompts the opening of wallets is "Not Tested on Animals". Over the past five years, Australian women seeking cruelty-free beauty has risen from 41 per cent to 46 per cent - a proportional increase of 12 per cent.
Outside the top three, the major things Australian women look for when buying cosmetics are: SPF (42%), Quality Brand (38%), Moisturising Benefits (35%), Ease of Application (33%), Longwearing (31%), Anti-Ageing Benefits (30%) and Hypo-Allergenic (28%).
Local heroes: Desire for Australian-made skincare soars
The number one reason Australian women buy moisturisers is to – well – moisturise. A hefty 59 per cent give the thumbs up to added hydration, says Roy Morgan Research. But after women of all ages have dealt with the widespread issue of dry skin, the biggest change in preferences over the past five years has been an increased desire for Australian-made brands – up from 20 per cent in 2012 to 26 per cent in 2016.
A shift that represents a golden opportunity for brands such as Sukin, Nutrimetics and Natio, says the researcher. But other nominated wants continue to trump "buy local" sentiments and they favour the international nature of the beauty scene.
After moisturising, Australian women look for these key attributes when buying skincare: Value for Money (52%), Not Tested on Animals (44%), SPF (42%), Quality Brand (36%), Anti-Ageing benefits (35%), Hypo-Allergenic (35%), Proven Benefits (32%) and Gentleness (31%).
According to Roy Morgan Research industry communications director Norman Morris: "The latest data from Roy Morgan shows a strong increase over the past five years in Australian women's awareness of animal testing when buying cosmetics and skincare products. More and more women are placing importance on buying cruelty-free products, whereas their attitude towards other features such as value for money, SPF, a natural look or quality brand have not shown a marked change".
2017 retail sales off to strong start
Christmas retail sales may have kept within guesstimates, but post-festive season results have exceeded expectations reports the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) predicted sales growth of 2.9 per cent for the first few weeks of the year, but long, balmy days and discounting across all categories pushed year-on-year growth to 3.11 per cent.
The ARA believes the strong opening to the retail calendar year is a clear sign of a rebound. "We are expecting this future growth to be complemented by improved conditions due to the forthcoming reduction in Sunday Penalty Rates, leading to increased trading hours and greater sales volumes", notes ARA executive director Russell Zimmermann.
Fashion – clothing, footwear and accessories – enjoyed a major upswing of 5.18 per cent year-on-year. Liquor retailing also scored well with an uplift of 4.77 per cent as summer temperatures stayed high. In spite of the national addiction to TV cooking shows, takeaway food services soared 11.91 per cent year-on-year.
Net income for Adidas tops $1.4 billion
When talk turns to wellness and fitness, the global market is counted in trillions of dollars – not billions. Sales of athleisure wear continue to soar, and if you don't choose the right exercise footwear you can do more harm than good.
Last year, Adidas wrestled back its global number two ranking in sportswear from Under Armour. The German multinational also announced a longterm fightback strategy called 'Creating The New'. It's working. Sales in China shot up by 28 per cent in 2016, and the brand is expanding its relationship with Kanye West to develop a Yeezy-branded range of footwear, apparel and accessories.
Adidas reported an 18 per cent spike in sales to 19.3 billion euros (AU$27.19 billion) in 2016. Net income soared to 1.019 billion euros (AU$1.43 billion), breaking the magic barrier for the first time. Sales increased by double digits in all major regions – notably Western Europe (+20%) and North America (+24%). Adidas expects even better results for 2017, predicting a sales increase of 11 to 13 per cent and close to a 20 percent increase in net income.
Snippets from the wires
- According to the latest data, online shopping accounts for only 7.6 per cent of total retail sales in Australia. More than 88 per cent of shoppers research online but make purchases offline – in shops, that is. Three out of four shopping carts are abandoned.
- Henkel, the makers of Schwarzkopf, have inked a deal to buy Nattura Laboratories. Based in Mexico, the company owns 11 professional haircare brands, including Paul Mitchell, Pravana and Tec Italy. In 2016, Nattura boasted revenues of AU$140 million.
- L'Oréal is test-marketing a new naturally-based haircare brand – Botanicals Fresh Care – in France, Germany and the UK. Based on sustainably-sourced ingredients, the new range will be rolled out in other markets in the near future.
- Indoor tanning devices are still popular in the US and Europe. According to a new study, there were 263,600 diagnosed cases of skin cancer attributed to indoor tanning in the US in 2015. The medical cost of treatment adds up to $US343.1 million a year.
- e.l.f Beauty continues to break sales records. The budget brand enjoyed sales of $229.6 million in 2016 – a jump of 20 per cent.
