Asia provides the greatest opportunity for fragrance marketers worldwide, but only if they understand the diverse consumer needs created by the region’s complex cultural and demographic dynamics.
The Asian fragrance market is largely untapped. The majority of Asians still wear perfume for special occasions, rather than every day. Average per capita consumption is less than 10 mL of fragrance per year in most Asian countries, compared to Western European countries where average use is more than 100 mL per person per year. However, the Chinese and Indian markets have the greatest growth potential worldwide thanks to the sheer size of populations, increasing disposable incomes, growing grooming consciousness and growing urbanisation, which provides consumers with easier access to retailers of branded fragrances. Age, and consumers’ agespecific needs, are key to unlocking the growth potential of these market drivers. The diversity of Asian societies means the region encompasses a variety of unique cultural attitudes towards fragrances, such as the use of ‘Attar’ among Indians, which is a combination of oils, resins and a natural base applied with cotton. This means that in order to successfully position their product, manufacturers need to be especially aware of the cultural and religious connotations of particular scents, ingredients and consumption occasions among the large number of cultural groups that compose countries such as India, China or Indonesia.
What is driving growth?
Low penetration, rising incomes and increasing attention to personal grooming drive growth in India and China.
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