After a sluggish couple of years due to the covid-19 pandemic, the European sun care market is looking a lot brighter these days. Market leaders are investing in their sun protection brands and indie brands are focusing on the self-tanning category.

Manufacturers and retailers are reshaping sun care to make it more sustainable as European consumers become more demanding of ingredients and performance. As consumers pay more attention to skin health, year-round use of sun care products is finally becoming a reality and providing the market with a much-needed sales boost outside the July and August period.

According to GlobalData, European sun care market sales will rise 3.3% to $2.8 billion this year. The UK leads the region and posted the fastest value growth, up 6.6% so far this year, while the four other leading European markets are anticipated to grow between 2-3%, based on GlobalData’s Market Analyzers segment insights forecast data as of April 26, 2023.

Trusted Brands

The boost in sales comes after a long period of limited growth and fewer launches. Retailers were keen to sell previous year’s stock, accumulated during the covid lockdowns, when consumers were prevented from taking holidays abroad. Brando De Carlo Coleman, research analyst, Euromonitor International, contends that because retailers were still unsure about the category’s performance in 2022, they invested in trusted brands rather than taking a risk with unknown newcomers.

“Established brands are focusing on sun protection, particularly addressing the importance of protecting the skin against sun damage caused by UVA and UVB rays… and focusing on facial sun protection and high SPF products,” said De Carlo Coleman. “Both Vichy and Garnier reported significant growth in 2022,” he commented.

Here are some launches targeting sun damage:

• La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 with SPF50+, offering extreme protection against cellular damage.
• Nivea Cellular Luminous630 Anti-Dark Spot Triple Protection Day Cream SPF50, whose patented Luminous630 ingredients claim to prevent and reduce sunspots.
• Vichy Capital Soleil UV Age Daily, an anti-aging sunscreen.
• Garnier Ambre Solaire Super UV Anti-Dryness Protection Cream.

Innovation & Self-Tanning

More fragmented than sun protection, the self-tanning category is dominated by a range of smaller players. When choosing self-tanners, European consumers tend to look for natural-looking gradual tans that develop over time and therefore avoid the unrealistic orange appearance previously associated with self-tanning.

According to De Carlo Coleman, more products include hydrating and nourishing formulas that create a mix of self-tanning and skin care. And self-tan application methods are improving, with innovation in self-tanning drops, sprays and mists. Examples include:

• Laboratoires Biarritz (France) launched self-tanning drops for face and body in a drop-by-drop bottle which is recyclable. “Their innovation is that the drops can be mixed with any type of skin care formula…allowing for a tailor-made tan,” explains De Carlo Coleman.
• Bondi Sands is the UK’s leading brand, with strong growth following new product launches in 2022 that target both express tanning (Bondi Sands 1-hour Express Self-Tanning Foam) and gradual tanning (Bondi Sands Skin Illuminator Gradual Tanning Lotion).

Sustainability Moves

Consumers are concerned about the impact sunscreen ingredients may have on marine life. That’s causing a shift to make products more sustainable.

“Sun care products that are positioned as being ‘ocean-friendly’ or ‘reef-safe’ typically eliminate two ingredients from formulation: oxybenzone and octinoxate,” said Lia Neophytou, lead analyst of health & hygiene insights, GlobalData. She notes that vegan formulations, or those containing organic ingredients, are also in some cases positioned as being sustainable.

For example, Green People sunscreens contain a blend of UV filters and natural ingredients like edelweiss and claim to be 100% reef-friendly.

In March 2022, UK retailer Holland & Barrett Retail Ltd., became the first large retailer to ban the sale of all sun care products containing ingredients harmful to aquatic life. The retailer launched its own mineral sunscreen range up to SPF50 in recycled plastic packaging.  According to De Carlo Coleman, educated consumers are becoming more aware of what to look for in terms of ingredients and performance.

“There has been rising demand for clean beauty products, as well as for high SPF sun protection,” he states.

This coincides with a move by UK retailer Boots Plc, to cease production of its Soltan sunscreen products with a sun protection level lower than SPF50 for children and SPF15 for adults.

“These changes also anticipate legislation that is expected in the coming years from both Europe and the UK regarding sun care,” he explains.

Furthermore, in 2002, Europe put restrictions on DHA, the ingredient that is present in higher quantities in dark self-tanners and rapid solutions, and that is now limited to a maximum of 10% in a product. This change will force manufacturers to reformulate self-tanning products.

The peak months of July and August will continue to dominate spending patterns in Europe, although year-round sunscreen usage is starting to become more prevalent. According to Euromonitor, facial sun care products will benefit the most from this shift: some 30% of sunscreen users report they use these products against skin aging. However, Neophytou warns that, for the foreseeable future, many European consumers will focus on value for money.

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Imogen Matthews
Headington, Oxford UK
+44 1865 764918
www.imogenmatthews.co.uk
 
Imogen Matthews is a respected consultant, journalist and researcher who commentates on trends in the beauty industry. She regularly contributes to many of the world’s foremost beauty trade titles, has served on the Board of Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW UK) and won the prestigious Cosmetic Executive (UK) Achiever Award. Founded by Imogen in 1993, The Premium Market Report remains the only in-depth report to examine trends in the premium cosmetics, skincare and fragrance industry.