Like colour cosmetics, sales of fragrances were significantly impacted by pandemic-induced lockdowns and subsequent home seclusion, with lack of socialising opportunities or travel, in addition to financial concerns, resulting in double-digit declines in 2020. Nevertheless, in line with greater mobility as the country rolled out its vaccination programme and virus cases started to drop over 2021, demand for fragrances in Switzerland notably improved.
Premium fragrances dominates retail value sales terms, and therefore its double-digit declines of 2020 had a significant impact on the category’s overall performance, while the smaller mass segment witnessed much lower drops. However, premium fragrances, and in particular, premium women’s fragrances, was the most dynamic performer in 2021, recording impressive growth rates to sit just below pre-pandemic value sales levels.
Aside from new product launches, timeless classics, exclusive products and brands with a long history and high levels of brand recognition continued to lead a highly fragmented competitive landscape in 2021 with Chanel N°5 remaining as the most popular brand. L'Oréal Suisse SA retained its overall leadership of national brand owners with a wide portfolio including premium fragrances Giorgio Armani Code for Women, Lancôme and Acqua di Giò pour Homme.
While demand for fragrances is set to recover to pre-pandemic levels over the forecast period, driven by stronger retail volume growth of the premium segment, overall value sales (at constant 2021 prices) will remain subdued as retailers attempt to encourage demand through price promotions, ultimately negatively impacting the average unit price of both men’s and women’s fragrances. Furthermore, as borders reopen and Swiss consumers resume travel plans, cross-border shopping in cheaper neighbouring countries is likely to regain some momentum, subduing a stronger performance for domestic sales.
While the topic of gender neutrality will continue to play a growing role in Switzerland, especially within fragrances, popularity and demand for unisex fragrances are set to decline over the forecast period in both premium and mass segments. Many traditionally-minded Swiss consumers dislike the lack of clarity and positioning offered by unisex fragrances and often perceive these scents to be less desirable.
The resumption of tourism and the reopening of small stores and boutiques, in addition to department store, is expected to support positive future development of premium fragrances. These channels suffered severely from the lack of tourists as well as more personal shopping experiences and product presentations/demonstrations during lockdowns.
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Fragrances
This is the aggregation of men's, women's and unisex mass and premium fragrances as well as fragrances sets/kits. The distinction between mass market and premium is normally price and label/positioning (mass fragrances rarely carry a designer label) and distribution. Also includes hair fragrances with a primary function of making hair smell good and not to be confused with hair oil and other styling/conditioning products with hair fragrances, whose primary function is to either condition or style over fragrance.
See All of Our DefinitionsThis report originates from Passport, our Fragrances research and analysis database.
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