Mass Beauty and Personal Care in Serbia

2020 IMPACT

Consumers show reluctance to spend on premium products due to the economic impact of COVID-19

Many categories of mass beauty and personal care received a boost to their sales or at least did not see decline during 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19 on consumer spending. Consumers in Serbia were fairly reluctant to spend a lot on premium products in times of expected economic crisis, even though their incomes were rising towards the end of the review period leading to increased purchases of more premium products.

Mass beauty and personal care sees overall decline driven by consumers avoiding non-essential purchases

Despite positive growth in several categories, mass beauty and personal care as a whole declined in 2020 in current value terms and the reason for this was also pandemic-related negative economic trends. Besides the observed shift from premium to mass products, many consumers restrained their spending to only necessary products during 2020 which had a negative effect on demand for overall mass beauty and personal care.

E-commerce and expanding retail chains benefit the most from the COVID-19 lockdown

E-commerce and certain medium-sized modern retailers such as supermarkets and drugstores/parapharmacies grew the most in 2020 as a consequence of the COVID-19 lockdown in Serbia. E-commerce increased in popularity thanks to the fact that it offered safe purchase, with no need to leave home, and provided convenience for the consumer in view of the country’s curfew hours imposed during 2020 which limited visits to retail stores.

RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES

Strong rebound expected for mass beauty and personal care 2021 as COVID-19 social restrictions ease

Since mass beauty and personal care as a whole was negatively affected in 2020 by COVID-19 and, as a result, recorded negative retail value growth, it is expected that the category will bounce back in 2021 and return to much higher demand than in 2020. This will result in a higher rate of retail value growth in 2021, as well as over the rest of the forecast period, in comparison to the review period.

Slowing purchases of hand soap products lead to projected decline in mass bath and shower in 2021

Part of mass beauty and personal care that benefited the most from the outbreak of COVID-19 in Serbia in 2020 – mass bath and shower – will see retail value sales decline in 2021. In fact, mass bath and shower is projected to be the only category within mass beauty and personal care to witness decline in 2021.

Consumers’ reduced spending power and the expansion of retail chains will support the growth of private label

The value share of private label lines grew in 2020 as a result of consumers in Serbia switching to cheaper brands, but also thanks to the ongoing expansion of large retail chains. This trend will continue in 2021 and beyond, fuelled also by Serbian consumers’ growing trust in the quality of these products.