UNDERSTANDING THE BEAUTY AND HEALTH RETAILERS IN HONG KONG CONTENTS Overview of Distribution Channels Online Retailer in Hong Kong and Macau 04 1. Hong Kong Retailers’ Own Website 22 Brick-and-mortar Retail Stores in Hong Kong 2. E-commerce Platform in Hong Kong 23 1. Department Stores 06 3. Cross-border E-commerce Platform in China 23 2. Beauty Specialty Stores 10 3. Pharmacy Stores 13 Hong Kong Beauty and Health Trade Events 26 4. Supermarkets 14 Austrade Contacts 27 5. Multi-brand Shops 16 6. Health and Organic Stores 19 7. Australian Brand Stores 21 Disclaimer Copyright © Commonwealth of Australia 2019 This report has been prepared by the Commonwealth of Australia represented by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade). The report is a general overview and is not intended to The material in this document is licensed under a Creative Commons provide exhaustive coverage of the topic. 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Enquiries about this licence and any use of this document care, including obtaining professional advice, in relation to their use can be sent to: [email protected]. of the information for their purposes. The Commonwealth does not endorse any company or activity referred to in the report, and does Attribution not accept responsibility for any losses suffered in connection with Before reusing any part of this document, including reproduction, any company or its activities. public display, public performance, distribution, dissemination, communication, or importation, you must comply with the Attribution requirements under the CC BY licence. Using the Commonwealth Coat of Arms The terms of use for the Coat of Arms are available from the It’s an Honour website (www.itsanhonour.gov.au). 01 02 INTRODUCTION As the 3rd largest export market for perfumery and Hong Kong remains a glamorous shop window for cosmetic products, Hong Kong is vital for Australia. showcasing international brands. And it explains why Demand for Australian beauty products remains strong Australian consumer brands continue to begin in Hong in 2018. Australian cosmetics exports to Hong Kong Kong and expand throughout the region. The city is were valued at A$99 million¹, representing 11 per cent an ideal platform to establish a reputation and to build of total exports. brand equity before tackling the mainland market. With a wealthy population of 7.5 million² and a GDP of Hong Kong is an extremely competitive market. US$ 364.8 billion³, Hong Kong is a large, high-value Australia’s competitive edge is its positive reputation and expanding market for Australian beauty and health as a supplier of high quality, environmentally friendly products. It also boasts low trade barriers and a strong and safe cosmetics, skin care and health products, luxury market making it a strategic trading centre and particularly in the natural and organic skincare sourcing hub for consumer products in the region. categories. Hong Kong is also an excellent testing ground for If your company is looking to export from Australia international products entering the region. The and to visit Hong Kong and Macau, Austrade’s team city offers an attractive retail environment for local of English and Chinese-speaking business advisers consumers and overseas visitors due to its zero sales in Hong Kong is ready to assist you. You will find the tax and broad diversity of authentic products. Local contact details of our Austrade Hong Kong team at the consumers have significant spending power and end of this guide, please do contact our team. are keen to try new products. The market is further I look forward to seeing you in Hong Kong and Macau. strengthened by the huge number of consumers from China who shop in Hong Kong, with cosmetics and Sincerely, skin care items a key focus. Hong Kong is also a popular travel destination. Last year, 65 million visitors, including over 51 million mainland Chinese⁴, came to Hong Kong. These visitors are significant contributors to the city’s retail market. The city acts as an important showcase Gareth Simpson market for the North Asian region and also a gateway Trade and Investment Commissioner to the Chinese market. Austrade Hong Kong and Macau 1 Australian Bureau of Statistics on IHS Markit 2018, September 2019 2 Census and Statistics Department, Government of Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong in Figures, April 2019 3 Hong Kong Trade and Development Council, 2018 4 Hong Kong Tourism Commission, Tourism Performance 2018 Understanding beauty and health retailers in Hong Kong 03 OVERVIEW OF Department stores > High-end Beauty Counters: Stores normally stock DISTRIBUTION international, high-end and branded products CHANNELS > Consignment counters: Majority of these are IN HONG KONG Japanese–style department stores, stock internal, medium to high end branded products Beauty specialty stores - for all price ranges. These stores are still selling parallel-imported brand name products, but are progressively seeking new and mass product lines to reduce their parallel imports Pharmacy stores > Health & Beauty Care Chains (combined with pharmacies) – over 600 stores mainly for middle and mass-market products. However, these chains With virtually no local manufacturing, typically demand high listing fees and 35-50 per cent retail margin Hong Kong’s beauty product needs are overwhelmingly met by imports. Hong > Independent Pharmacy drug stores – for mass products. Conveniently located at the street level, Kong has a sophisticated retail sector for these drug stores are primarily retailing personal care the sale and distribution of health and and pharmaceutical products beauty products. Supermarket chains – low-end/mass products, tendency towards private labels There are a number of different channels for Australian suppliers to access retail Multi-brand stores – for middle to high-end ranges. They may also play the role as importers outlets depending on the type of product and also distributors to import products directly and the target consumer sector. While from suppliers some high-end department stores and Health and organic stores – medium to beauty specialty stores are happy to deal high-priced range. Focused on chemical-free and directly with suppliers, these are usually organic product lines, most of them meet international in smaller quantities and are focused organic standards on specific target products to their Australian brand stores – standalone brand demographics. Larger scale retail outlets stores offering experiential aspects to consumer traditionally rely on distributors and agents e-Commerce platforms – local retailers to help source and supply products. deploying O2O and e-Commerce platforms for imported goods 04 Understanding beauty and health retailers in Hong Kong HONG KONG DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS FOR BEAUTY AND HEALTH PRODUCTS Australian Suppliers Distributors / Australian e-Commerce Agents Brand Stores Platforms • Aesop (10) • Blackmores (1) Department Beauty Health and Stores Specialty Pharmacy Supermarkets Multi-brand Organic Stores (629+) Shops (59) Stores Stores (398) (1550+) (99) (35) • Bonjour (39) • PARKnSHOP (300+) • A Beauty Bar (6) • Green dot dot (25) • Colourmix (82) Fusion • Bey rg (8) • Organic Plus (8) • Sa Sa (270) International • Joyce Beauty (13) • Greenfield Consignment Health & ∅ Luxury • Angel (3) Independent Taste • Mekim (60) Organic (2) Model Beauty Care Beauty • Aster (4) drug stores SU-PA-DE-PA • Mi Ming Mart (10) (49) Chains Counters (1000+) • Wellcome (329) • MINT Organics (2) (10) (550+) Market Place by Jasons Jasons 3hree Sixty • Facesss (3) • AEON (9) • Mannings (350+) Oliver’s the Delicatessen • Harvey Nichols (3) • CitySuper / Logon (21) • Watsons (200+) • Lane Crawford (4) • Sogo (2) • UNY / APITA (2) • WingOn (4) • YATA (11) * ( ) represent the no. of stores at respective distribution channels Understanding beauty and health retailers in Hong Kong 05 No. of Stores 3 BRICKS AND MORTAR Positioning Medium - Premium RETAIL STORES Target Customer Local & Tourist IN HONG KONG Harvey Nichols Hong Kong www.harveynichols.com Harvey Nichols Hong Kong is an upscale luxury fashion outlet. It offers many of the world’s most prestigious brands in womenswear, menswear, accessories and beauty. It has 3 beauty locations in Hong Kong: Beyond Beauty located in the Landmark in Central, Pacific Place in Admiralty, as well as Beauty Bazaar Harvey Nichols in Tsim Sha Tsui. Hong Kong is a small city, and it is convenient for consumers to visit brick- No. of Stores 3 Positioning High - Premium and-mortar retail shops to buy what they Target Customer Local & Tourist want. Shoppers in Hong Kong are keen to go to physical stores where they can Lane Crawford touch, feel and experience the products. www.lanecrawford.com Lane Crawford is a global luxury fashion, beauty and lifestyle department store, offering the largest assortment of designer brands in Asia. It stocks designers from around the world in womenswear, menswear, shoes and accessories, lingerie, jewellery, 1. DEPARTMENT STORES cosmetics and home and lifestyle. Cosmetics and skincare products are Based in Hong Kong and China, Lane Crawford is usually direct selling at the beauty Asia’s premier fashion retail, brand management and counters in large department stores in distribution group. The Group is operating luxury department stores and boutiques, free-standing Hong Kong.