The €4.27 billion Dutch beauty industry is betting big on sustainability as consumer preferences evolve beyond surface-level beauty.
By 2027, the global personal care and beauty market is projected to be worth a staggering value of $1,178 billion1 as it undergoes a rapid transformation driven by advancements in technology and evolving consumer preferences. Europe plays a competitive role within this market and is home to some of the world’s most recognisable brands and pioneers of innovative beauty and cosmetic products.
The Dutch market reflects this growth and is projected to generate a revenue of $4.27 billion in 2025 with an annual growth rate of 1.82%.2 The personal care and beauty industry’s advancements have been driven by an increase in consumer demands, but what are the key trends that are generating such levels of demand and is this set to continue?
Defining Dutch trends
Consumers are increasingly seeking products that reflect their lifestyles, which are becoming progressively environmentally conscious. According to Lieke Boer, Technical Sales Manager of Geotech International, the Dutch beauty market reflects this shift and is significantly influenced by trends ‘centred around environmental sustainability, with brands seeing a rise in the development of microplastic-free, vegan and natural cosmetic products’.
Consumers are increasingly mindful of what they are putting on their skin and the environmental impact of their favourite products. There’s also been an upsurge in interest for multifunctional products that are effective as well as sustainable.
Lisanne Brouns, Marketing Manager at Azeco Cosmeceuticals, agrees that multifunctional products are becoming the standard. She says: “Skinimalism, the practice of simplifying skincare routines, has transcended being a mere trend. Dutch consumers are now prioritising skincare that delivers multiple benefits, such as hydration, protection and treatment, all in fewer steps.”
This is sustainable in the way of reducing product waste, as cosmetics are condensed to fewer items.
Shifting consumer perceptions
Previously, beauty trends were centred around achieving ‘perfection’, as consumers idealised flawless skin and polished looks. However, in recent years, this view has shifted to a more conscious and holistic approach.
Pauline Vrugteveen–Schneider, Head of Brands & Innovation at Aizuru | Natural Home & Personal Care, states that health and wellness have become a priority, and that beauty is no longer just about appearance, as ‘consumers are becoming more informed and are demanding detailed information about the ingredients in the products they use’.
Vrugteveen–Schneider also shared that there is ‘a strong demand for beauty products that cater to a diverse range of skin tones, types and hair textures’ as consumers are increasingly interested in inclusive representations of beauty in marketing.
Cynthia Staats, Business Development Manager at Caffe Inc, finds that the Dutch consumer perception of beauty ‘is evolving towards a more sustainable and health-conscious approach’ with a growing interest in ‘organic, cruelty-free, vegan and eco-friendly products’.
The changes in consumer perception of beauty reflect a broader cultural and lifestyle trend of prioritising consumption that is less harmful for the environment and emulates clean beauty.
Adapting to meet consumer expectations
In Staat’s opinion, in the Netherlands, ‘supermarkets are almost 50% natural already’ as Dutch beauty brands are focusing on ‘natural ingredients as they try to be sustainable and meet consumer expectations’.
Staats describes ‘smaller upcoming brands that claim to be more reliable and offer natural clean label products like Food for Skin, Naif & Loveli are growing fast and have a strong group of ambassadors’.
Many brands are adapting their practices and positioning themselves as experts in organic products. For example, Paul Ranshuysen, Market and Business Intelligence Manager at Cosun Biobased Expert, suggests that brands are ‘educating consumers with more fact and study-based science behind their claims, as well as including upcycled ingredients’ to remain sustainable and competitive.
According to Vrugteveen–Schneider, brands are ‘transitioning to recyclable or biodegradable packaging to meet the consumer demand for eco-conscious products, with refillable packaging also becoming highly popular’.
Accelerating innovation and growth through technology
By providing tools, updated processes and new efficiencies, technology has long been a vehicle through which the beauty industry can accelerate innovation.
According to Brouns, technology is acting as a catalyst for innovation and growth in the Dutch beauty industry, as ‘advanced research and development techniques such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, are enabling brands to create highly effective products tailored to consumer needs’.
To meet the demand for clean and sustainable beauty, brands are using advances in technology to create new innovative products. Ranshuysen highlights the importance of ‘new separation and processing technologies for improving efficiency and reducing energy’ as it can streamline and identify less energy-intensive production methods.3 These innovations allow brands to develop more effective and eco-friendly products and stay at the forefront of clean beauty trends.
By enabling sustainable, effective, and highly personalised beauty solutions, biotechnology has also been transforming the personal care industry. Brouns believes that ‘through lab-grown ingredients and bioengineered formulas, companies can minimise reliance on scarce natural resources while maintaining product quality and efficacy’.
With consumers demanding sustainable and high-performance beauty solutions, innovative biotechnologies can help brands stay ahead of the competition.
Key growth opportunities
Driven by evolving consumer preferences, advances in technology and a growing demand for sustainability, the Dutch beauty and personal care market is poised for continual growth over the next few years. Boer states that ‘the strength of Dutch cosmetic manufacturers lies in developing products that cater to diverse trends and requirements’ and therefore will be able to successfully capitalise off the huge demand for sustainable goods.
Vrugteveen–Schneider adds that for brands to stand out from the competition, ‘there should be a focus on perfecting their formulas with functional benefits, natural ingredients, compelling stories and attractive packaging, creating beauty products that don’t harm the planet’.
As sustainability remains at the forefront of beauty innovations in personal care, Dutch brands that prioritise the planet throughout their values will achieve the greatest success. Staats believes that for brands to stay ahead of their competitors, every aspect of their business must be ethical, emphasising that sustainable packaging is ‘no longer a nice-to-have, but a must-have’.
Challenges in the Dutch market
Meeting consumer demand for sustainability presents significant challenges to the Dutch beauty market. Environmentally friendly products often come at a premium due to the higher production costs, ethical sourcing and eco-friendly packaging. Ranshuysen describes this as the ‘cost-performance-sustainability triangle’ which creates both the biggest challenge as well as the biggest opportunity for the beauty industry. This provides a complexity which Dutch brands must balance.
Boer identifies the constantly evolving legislation as a significant challenge to the Dutch market, noting that ‘as regulations change, there is continuous pressure on both pricing and development costs’. As regulations become stricter, brands must adapt formulations, packaging and supply chain practices to remain compliant, posing the challenge of incurring greater costs for increased research and development.
The Dutch beauty and personal care industry is at a pivotal moment, shaped by evolving consumer demands and a drive for sustainability. While new trends present certain challenges, such as increased costs, they also create opportunities for brands to innovate and evolve. Companies that embrace the demand for clean beauty and sustainable goods through investments in biotechnology and eco-friendly packaging will be best positioned to dominate the personal care market.
As the Netherlands emerges as a hub for beauty innovation, its vibrant start-up culture and embrace of new technologies make it the perfect host for this year’s in-cosmetics Global trade show. With top suppliers unveiling the latest advancements in sustainable cosmetics, the country is helping to shape the industry’s future.
References:
- https://professionalbeauty.co.uk/global-personal-care-and-beauty-market-to-reach-ps1178billion-by-2027
- https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/beauty-personal-care/netherlands?utm_source
- https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/greenchemistry/redesign/roundtables/altsep-report-2019.pdf
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