Almost every household in Austria purchased cosmetics and personal care products in 2024, with 95% buying at least one item over the year. A total of 205 million packs were sold, and overall spending rose compared to the previous year, according to new data.
Industry platform Kosmetik transparent reported that, on average, shoppers made two purchases per month, spending around €10 per transaction.
“The personal care market overall is performing well,” said YouGov market researcher Sandra Bayer. However, demand for natural and nature-based cosmetics declined.
Households Spending More on Personal Care
A survey by YouGov Shopper Intelligence, based on a representative sample of 4,000 households, found that each household spent an average of €237 on personal care products last year – €8 more than in 2023 – despite purchasing the same number of items, 54 packs.
Spending increased across most product categories. Hair care, for example, saw average household spending rise from €47.10 in 2023 to €50.70 in 2024. Oral care spending went up from €45.50 to €49.10, while skincare and body care rose slightly from €180.90 to €184.30.
“This is driven by higher raw material prices, increased transport and energy costs, and overall product availability,” said Andrea Schneider, spokesperson for Kosmetik transparent.
Natural Cosmetics Losing Ground
Fewer than half of Austrian households bought natural or nature-based cosmetics in 2024, with the number of buyers falling by 3.2 percentage points compared to the previous year.
Spending on these products also declined slightly, from €51.70 per household in 2023 to €51.10 in 2024. Sandra Bayer of YouGov attributed this to economic uncertainty, saying: “Consumers are turning to more affordable alternatives.”
Drugstores Regain Market Share
Drugstores accounted for 65.7% of all cosmetics and personal care sales in 2024, up 1.6% from the previous year. Experts at Kosmetik transparent said that, five years after the pandemic, drugstores had now fully recovered the sales they lost to supermarkets and discount retailers during lockdowns.
Other sales channels remained steady or saw slight declines. Pharmacies held a 3.3% market share, while discount retailers accounted for 5.6%. Perfumery sales fell by one percentage point to 4.9%. Supermarkets, which made up 18.4% of sales in 2023, saw their share dip to 18%.
