We have been in discussions with numerous companies over the past few weeks on how they can enter the UK beauty and wellness market. There are a number of different ways, but also some key considerations. The beauty and personal care industry contributed £24.5 billion to the UK economy in 2022. This was a drop of 28.1% compared to pre-pandemic levels (British Beauty Council). That said, this is a resilient sector that continues to evolve and grow. Despite no longer being a part of the EU, many international brands see the UK as their entry into the EU due to the strong brand exposure they may gain.
Launching a beauty brand into the UK market involves a combination of strategic planning, market research, regulatory compliance, and effective marketing. So, what should you be considering when looking to enter this cosmopolitan and pivotally positioned market?
Conduct thorough Market Research – start identifying your target audience and analysing the competitive landscape. Understanding current beauty trends and consumer preferences in the UK will help tailor your offerings to meet market demands.
Develop Compliant Products – ensure your products meet UK cosmetic regulations. This includes safety assessments, proper labelling, and ingredient compliance. Register products with the relevant regulatory bodies and securing product liability insurance is vital.
Craft a Strong Brand Identity – creating a unique brand identity with a compelling story, eye-catching logo, and consistent visual style is vital to your success. Your brand should resonate with UK consumers and stand out in a crowded market.
Implement a Strategic Marketing Plan – leverage digital marketing channels such as social media, content marketing, and influencer partnerships to build brand awareness. Setting up an e-commerce platform is essential for reaching a broader audience.
Establish Retail Partnerships – consider stocking products in well-known UK beauty retailers like Boots, Superdrug, and online platforms like Cult Beauty. Retail partnerships can significantly boost your brand’s visibility and credibility.
Focus on Distribution and Logistics – and partner with reliable logistics providers to ensure efficient and timely delivery. A robust customer service system is crucial for handling inquiries, returns, and complaints, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
PR Event – organising a launch event to introduce your brand to the UK market will create buzz and drive brand awareness and visibility. Support these events with experiential retail through masterclasses, education, sampling.
Monitor and Adapt – collect and analyse customer feedback and sales data to continuously improve your products and strategies to stay agile and responsive to market trends. This will help sustain your brand’s growth.
We spoke to Andrea Meikle – Cosmetic RP Team Leader from Advena, one of the leading regulatory and compliance companies in the UK regarding their advice for new beauty and wellness brands entering the market.
As a starting point what do new beauty and wellness brands need to consider when looking to enter the market? ‘Before your product can be placed on the UK market it must meet Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 on Cosmetic Products, as amended by the Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. For The European Cosmetic Regulation EU 1223/2009 requires you to appoint a ‘Responsible Person’ in the UK for each of your products. Ultimately the UKRP defaults to the UK distributor but can be delegated by the distributor to another party. The ‘Responsible Person’ must ensure compliance of the products, particularly compliance relating to human health, safety and consumer information, Article 4 UK Cosmetic Product Regulations. At Advena we can work as your Responsible Person to ensure you are compliant.’
What are the labelling and packaging requirements for cosmetic products in the UK? ‘Cosmetic products shall be made available on the UK market only where the container and packaging of the products, bears the information listed in Article 19 of the UK Regulation: The requirements are the name and address of the Responsible Person on the container and packaging. The full INCI list of ingredients including allergens, country of origin, best before date/period after opening (PAO), warning statements/s and precautionary information, batch code and any claims which meet the UK requirements.’
As you expand your brand across markets, not only do you need to consider which retail partners to approach, you also need to consider how you are going to fulfil your stock requirements, what implications this has on your regulatory and compliance and the tax implications of expanding internationally. Entering a new market requires a carefully thought-out strategy, get in touch today to discuss your market entry strategy going forward – www.thebespokeadvage.com.
Bespoke Advantage is a London based brand consultancy specialising in working with award-winning brands, retailers, investors, trade bodies and embassies to support you in developing and growing your brand across the marketplace.
We love partnering up with award-winning beauty and wellness brands, well-established companies, retailers, investors, trade bodies to bring your ideas to life. With over 60 years combined experience in building brands we know what it takes.
As a beauty brand consultancy, we support you in taking your business to the next level through strategy, brand management, product development. Introducing our 3 C’s – we draw upon years of Clarity, Creativity, Commerciality to deliver your results. We design brand identities and visual elements, create products, develop go-to-market strategies to help you to engage with your ideal customers. We work with you to develop a comprehensive strategy for your business by understanding your vision (and the marketplace) and then delving into the details to create order and structure, neatly packaged up to deliver you commercial results. We work with clients based in different corners of the world – from the UK, to Africa, Sri Lanka, Australia, the Middle East and across Europe. Over the years we have worked with a diverse portfolio of businesses – here’s a snapshot. If you would like to discuss your ideas with us, get in touch, we would love to hear from you.
We take great pride in working with our clients from entrepreneurs to well-established beauty and wellness brands, retailers, investors, distributors, embassies and trade bodies to develop and grow their brands across the marketplace. With over 60 years combined experience, our team are experts in the beauty, wellness and retail arena and support our clients from creating a brand in the industry through to branding and rebranding, marketing and PR, product development and go-to-market strategies.
Bespoke is a brand management expert with deep industry knowledge, extensive experience and a comprehensive understanding of the beauty and personal industry in the UK and Europe, complemented by an extensive network of contacts in the relevant market segments. Bespoke’s expertise, experience and contacts significantly contributed the success of the UK/Europe project with the companies that Bespoke assisted successfully entering or well on track to enter the UK and European markets. The Bespoke team was very professional, responsive and obliging and always delivered within timeframes. It was a pleasure to work with them.
Working with Janet over the past year has been a real pleasure, she has fantastic industry experience and knowledge of the UK beauty market. She has delivered a number of webinars for my clients looking at how to enter the UK market, providing an overview of the market and how to build a strategy. She took the briefs we provided and added real value to them, included key insights and information that my clients have found incredibly useful. Feedback on these sessions has been very positive. Janet is a clear communicator and has always delivered as agreed and on time. We are continuing to work together on other projects and I very much value the conversations we share.
‘Janet has a wealth of experience across retail, buying and marketing. She conducted a full strategic review of our cross functional business and the travel retail market to develop a comprehensive buying and quality control strategy that was signed off at board level. I highly recommend her as an asset to any business.’
‘As a Queensland-based company, we were determined to tap into the European market and establish a strong presence. From the very beginning, Bespoke Advantage demonstrated a deep understanding of our export goals and objectives. Their comprehensive knowledge of the European market, coupled with their extensive network of contacts, enabled them to connect us with key decision-makers and influential stakeholders in our target countries. Their strategic guidance and insights were invaluable in shaping our export strategy and positioning us for long-term success.’
‘Through Janet’s management skills, expertise and proven track record on the job she successfully managed the purchasing of our retail operations and ensured the integrity of our brands in-stores. Her enthusiasm and total dedication, delivered results in any project she was involved in.’
‘Janet has excellent beauty market knowledge. Level headed with clear vision, direction and the ability to drive business forward, Janet led the teams through a complete product design change advising on what the key marketing messages should be, incorporating her technical knowledge and beauty expertise.’
‘Absolutely fantastic course. Condensed learning from Janet, an expert in developing beauty brands. Also, valuable introductions to expert professionals, in the Masterclass sessions. In 12 weeks, you will learn from Janet, what would take years to learn by yourself. A very worthwhile investment’