Cosmetics sales up partly due to webshops

© Hollandse Hoogte / Sabine Joosten
In 2016, sales of cosmetics and perfumes amounted to 3.3 billion euros in the Netherlands. This was still 2.9 billion euros in 2012. In the period 2014-2016, turnover grew by nearly 4 percent per annum on average. This growth was largely on account of webshops, according to a report published by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) yesterday.

Webshops, i.e. all businesses that realise most their turnover through online sales to consumers, sold 268 million euros worth of cosmetics and perfumes in 2016. This means that 8 percent of these products were sold by webshops, versus 2 percent in 2012. Drugstores sold 1.3 billion euros worth of cosmetics and perfumes in 2016. This is more than any other sector although their market share dropped from 45 to 40 percent between 2012 and 2016. Supermarkets lost market share as well, while shops selling perfumes and cosmetics recorded an increase from 20 to 21 percent.

One-quarter buy food, cosmetics or cleaning products online

The relatively sharp increase in cosmetics sales by webshops is in line with the trend of growing numbers of e-shoppers. Last year, 76 percent of all persons aged 12 years or older were shopping online, as against 64 percent in 2012. The group of consumers buying food, cosmetics and cleaning products via the internet grew from 7 to 26 percent. The increase was strongest among 25 to 44-year-olds.