Natural cosmetics advancing in Poland

The Polish market for organic cosmetics is growing fast, although from a low level. While you see many new Polish web shops opening that specialise in organic cosmetics, only a few major traditional shops concentrate exclusively on selling organic beauty products. Two or three brands are sold mostly by shops with an offer of organic and healthy food, so the choice is still limited. A fair and a conference dedicated to natural and organic cosmetics will take place in Poland in May 2012. Ava and Floslek are offering cosmetics certified by Ecocert, and large German brands also export their natural cosmetics to Poland and other Eastern European countries. (Picture: Estetyka Natura -  trade fair and conference 2011)

Even though sales of organic and natural cosmetics do not play a major role in Polish stores, they are available through a growing number of online shops, says Karol Przybylak from BioKurier in conversation with Organic-Market.Info. An example is Organeo (picture) run by Patrycja Bujalska-Jabrzyk. A wide selection of products from companies like Alepia, Börlind, Lavera, Logona and Weleda is offered, ranging from gift ideas to exclusive organic toiletries, body and skin care, hair care, decorative cosmetics and sun care to items for pregnancy and children. Other examples of online shops for organic cosmetics are Ekodrogeria and Biopiekno. There are some small cosmetics brands that are making natural cosmetics, although they are not certified organic.
 
Ava Cosmetic Laboratory has been producing cosmetics for face and body for over 50 years and was the first Polish company to have cosmetics products certified by Ecocert. Three lines have been created using the company's own formula and carry an Ecocert certificate - Eco Linea, Eco Body and Eco Garden. Eco Linea (picture) includes cosmetics for face and body care and has ingredients from organic farming like marshmallow, ginger, camomile, and green tea extracts. Eco Body natural sugar scrubs are made with natural kiwi, aloe vera, guarana and grape extracts. Eco Garden, that has just been introduced, is made with organic vegetable extracts from carrot, tomato, cucumber, rice and green peas. These three lines are available in retail, and Eco Linea is also available for professionals.
 

AVA’s distribution channels include organic wholesalers, stores, drugstores, perfumeries, chain stores, cosmetics and pharmaceutical wholesalers and also internet sales. Besides selling their products in Poland, AVA Cosmetic Laboratory also distributes its cosmetics to the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Oman, United Kingdom, and Canada and the company is constantly expanding its network of distributors. Just recently, a contract has been signed with a German company and its products will soon be available in Germany as well. In February 2012, AVA Cosmetic Laboratory was the first Polish cosmetics company to present its product range at Vivaness 2012 in Nuremberg in Germany. (Picture: Ava at Vivaness 2012)

In Poland, many cosmetics companies can see the worldwide “eco” trend and they are trying to take some advantage of it, AVA told Organic-Market.Info. They avoid the time-consuming and expensive certification process by introducing “ecological” lines with for example only one or two “Ecocert-approved” components. This is, of course, not what ecological cosmetics are about. Polish consumers' awareness of ecological and certified products is very low, and there is still a lot to be done. Therefore, Ava does its best to educate people as much as they can. For example, the company participates in many seminars and it talks about the ecological style and way of life on television. The majority of consumers are price- oriented, and only a small number of them are aware of the value of the certificate for the production of ecological cosmetics.

Floslek also offers an organic line. The beECO cosmetics formulations are based on Alpine herb extracts combined with certified organic oils of olives, macadamia and jojoba, plus organic shea butter and aloe extract. The line consists of a moisturizing day cream, a repairing night cream, an eye, neckline and neck cream, a relaxing mask, body butter and a salt scrub, and it is certified by Ecocert. This line has been in the company’s portfolio since November 2011. So far, the products are available via internet shops, pharmacies, and cosmetics stores in Poland, and it is planned to develop exports. As Elsbieta Oleksiewicz-Pilucik from Floslek explained, the company appeared on the international stage at Cosmoprof in Bologna in March.

To help the development and distribution of organic and natural products in Poland, the company Estetyka organises a trade fair and conference devoted to organic and natural cosmetics - Estetyka Natura in Warsaw. The next edition of the conference will take place on 20 May 2012 in Warsaw. The 7th edition of a contest for the best natural cosmetics product, called “Golden Seal of Nature”, will also take place. The award is divided in four categories: Polish products for professional use, foreign products for professional use, Polish natural cosmetics for domestic use, and foreign natural cosmetics for domestic use. A bimonthly magazine has also been released, Gabi.net Estetyka & Zdrowie. According to Ms. Beata Przybyszewska - Kujawa from Estetyka, the natural cosmetics market in Poland is getting stronger, is expanding every year and is now the main focus for Estetyka – the centre for cosmetics and their promotion. 

Annemarie Börlind, based in Calw in Germany, sells its products to almost all Eastern European markets. Their main markets in this region are Russia, Hungary, Slovenia, Ukraine and Slovakia. Eastern Europe was one of the regions with the largest growth in 2011, and the company estimates this development will continue in 2012. Poland is considered to be one of the more difficult markets, since it is largely influenced by Germany and the therefore resulting strong competition. Annemarie Börlind sells its products in health food stores and in the beauty and SPA sector to ensure broad distribution for its premium products. Local distributors are responsible for presenting them in new as well as in existing sales channels.  It is of great importance for the company that their partners are well-informed, able to give qualified advice about their cosmetics and create appealing product presentation. (Picture: Ms Annemarie Lindner, on the left, co-founder of Annemarie Börlind, at a fair)

The products of Primavera are also sold in Poland, as well as in Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and in the Czech Republic. Primavera’s main market in Eastern Europe is Croatia. In the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary their products are sold in about 100 stores, with organic stores being the best-selling channels. No increase in sales in Eastern European countries was reported for 2011, in some countries sales decreased.

Martina Gebhardt Naturkosmetik is also supplied to Poland as well as to the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia, and this year will see products being sent to Romania for the first time. The Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia have been supplied since 2011, where increasing sales have been reported. The company’s products are sold to wholesalers in Eastern European countries, and in Slovenia their cosmetics go to more to 300 stores which are strongly Demeter-oriented.

Lavera also sells to Poland, as well as to Lithuania, Russia, Slovenia, Croatia, the Czech Republic and to Slovakia. Lavera does not see Eastern European countries as its main markets, since importing cosmetics to these countries is quite difficult. According to the company, the Czech Republic in particular is seen as a reliable partner, where products are sold in drug store chains like dm Drogeriemarkt. Lavera celebrates its 25th birthday this year. Ever since the launch of the company, it has put great emphasis on the fact that organics should be accessible for all.