Chinese Men’s Fragrance Market Is Booming

• CHINA: While the men’s global perfume and fragrances market remains driven by celebrity endorsement and associations with success, perceptions have remained fixed in China as men often associate fragrance as a female-only category. However, according to new research from Mintel on the perfume and fragrance market in China, perceptions are starting to change and the men’s fragrance market is beginning to make a splash, showing 20% growth from 2008 to 2011.

The value of the men’s fragrance market stood at RMB 689 million in 2011—up 20% in just three years. This compares with growth in the women’s category of 10%, indicating that there is plenty more room for growth. Mintel said its research also shows that a growing number of males are beginning to shift toward prestige fragrance usage. Prestige sales rose 19% to RMB 422 million by 2011. The mass fragrance annual percentage growth rate was 6% in 2011, compared to 8% for the prestige segment.

“The word perfume often has feminine overtones among male consumers, however, thanks to the popularity of Japanese and Korean TV dramas, fashions from these countries are shaping Chinese men’s perceptions of personal grooming. As a result of this trend, younger male consumers are shifting away from their conservative traditions and have been impressed with concepts which promote individual expression” said Lui Meng Chow, China research analyst at Mintel. “This has caused manufacturers to launch male-specific brands, including toiletries, despite the fact that they were previously associated with being a woman’s product.”

Chow said that this trend is extending into prestige and luxury brands and products, from aftershave to eau de toilette. “Most Chinese males tend to enter the beauty-care category in the middle to high-end product category, buying into those products with credible quality, thus they are willing to spend more in their first experience of grooming products.”

Overall, the fragrance market in China grew 32% from 2008 to 2011 to reach RMB 4.2 billion. According to Mintel’s research, the majority of urban consumers in China use fragrance to become more attractive and well-groomed (60%) or stylish (53%). And as retail channels have developed rapidly, the outlets where Chinese consumers can purchase fragrance have diversified. Today, nearly half (46%) of Chinese consumers say they purchase perfumes and fragrances from a specialist perfume shop, 37% buy at a department store and a similar number (35%) say they purchase online. Meanwhile, 31% claim to purchase fragrances from supermarkets and hypermarkets.

“As the distribution channels for beauty and luxury are growing out from tier one cities, this has created the opportunity for fragrance to grow in the future. Also, as Chinese consumers are gradually expressing their individual identity to reflect their social status, fragrance has become one of the fashion accessories used by consumers to express personality,” said Chow.

Mintel’s research also reveals that 80% of urban Chinese consumers claim to wear a fragrance that reflects their personal style, 78% claim that wearing a fragrance helps them stand out more at social or formal gatherings and 45% always look for the latest release of perfumes so as to stay ahead of the trend. However, it’s not all about personal image. Some 39% of fragrance users still use fragrance with the more functional purpose of eliminating body odor, and 42% of respondents own or wear fragrance because they received it as a gift.

“Fragrance is regarded as a luxury item, especially if it is internationally branded. Acquiring it means buying into an identity, and also expresses an emotional sense of belonging to a luxury or stylish group identity which serves as a status symbol,” Chow commented.

More info: www.mintel.com