According to market information expert Kline, 2013 is seeing the Chinese natural personal care market posting a 24% increase in sales, fueled by major economic and societal changes that have resulted in quadrupled incomes and a market expanding movement away from coastal mega-cities.
The US-based analyst says that with increasing disposable incomes, more Chinese consumers can now afford to become concerned of health-related issues, with the consequence of boosting the sales of natural products.
Encouraging
At present, domestic brands constitute four-fifths of the market with traditional Chinese medicine being the big winner, making up two-thirds of the Chinese natural personal care market.
That is not to say that international brands are not accepted; in fact their stock is on the up as Chinese consumers consider foreign imports to include truly natural ingredients and to be of a higher quality and adhering to greater safety standards.
Kline explains that over the last five years, global brands such as Jurlique, Kiehl's, and Origins have entered the Chinese natural personal care market and invested heavily in marketing and advertising their brands, creating a universally higher awareness of natural products among Chinese consumers.
Global
Whilst China is producing some of the most promising figures in the natural personal care space, other global markets are still pulling their weight too.
Over the past five years, Kline says that growth numbers have settled due to many factors including a focus on new natural ingredients, the opening of new channels of distribution, and the general consumer movement demanding greater transparency in labeling.
Kline reports there has been a 7% increase in the United States and 6% in Europe, as global sales reach $29.5 billion, at manufacturer's level.
Kline's imminent report on Natural Personal Care: Global Market Brief, to be published in Q4 2013, encompasses two optional in-depth companion reports, with comprehensive details and deep insights into the natural personal care markets in China and Japan.