Sales of Nivea Skincare and Haircare Lift Beiersdorf 2021 Cosmetics Results

Driven in part by sales of Nivea skincare, suncare and haircare products, Beiersdorf sales rose 8.6% to €7.6 billion (nearly $9  billion), exceeding the pre-crisis level of 2019.

“2021 was not only a financially successful fiscal year for Beiersdorf, but also a year in which we took highly promising strategic steps to lay the groundwork for our future,” said Vincent Warnery, CEO of Beiersdorf AG. “We made very good progress in all areas of our C.A.R.E.+ strategy. We tapped new and attractive growth potential, enhanced our capacity to innovate, and achieved major milestones as part of our digital and sustainable transformation – despite many adverse circumstances resulting particularly from the coronavirus pandemic and higher material and transport costs.”

Large investments in the areas of sustainability, innovation, digitalization, and growth meant that both the Consumer Business Segment and Tesa Business Segment increased market share in all important product categories and tap new markets. On a Group level, the operating result (EBIT) excluding special factors rose to $1.1 billion. The consolidated EBIT margin excluding special factors increased to 13.0%.

The Consumer Business Segment sales rose 7.5% to $7.2 billion in fiscal year 2021. A significant contribution to this growth came from e-commerce business, which increased by 32% in the past fiscal year. The Consumer Business Segment now generates more than 10% of its total sales online. EBIT excluding special factors rose to $875 million . 

The highest growth rates for the Consumer business were in Latin America (18.8%) and North America (13.0%), followed by markets in Africa, Asia, and Australia, where demand increased by a total of 8.9%. However, there was also buoyant sales growth in Eastern Europe (6.3%) and Western Europe (5.7%).

The core brand Nivea recorded organic sales growth of 5.5% in 2021, with the Nivea Luminous630 product range performing extremely successfully. It contains W630, an active ingredient patented by Beiersdorf that reduces pigment and age spots. The care series was complemented by further categories last year. Nivea was able to significantly expand its market share in the face care category, especially in Europe, on the back of the Nivea Luminous630 range’s success.

The selective cosmetics segment posted the largest growth rates. Demand for La Prairie increased by 20.1%. This was driven by a recovery in travel retail business, which was hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. In particular in China, La Prairie sales rose above average and were far above the pre-crisis level of 2019 by the end of the fiscal year.

The Derma business unit continued to perform successfully. After posting high sales growth in 2020, revenue from the Eucerin and Aquaphor brands rose strongly again (19.5%) in fiscal year 2021. Main growth drivers were the strategically important markets of the US, Germany, Latin America and China.

The Healthcare business unit, which mainly comprises plaster business with the Hansaplast and Elastoplast brands, increased organic sales by 13.7%. Market launches in the wound care category and a strong recovery in the sports category had a particularly positive impact on sales.