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Market Size of Sunscreen Products Will Reach 20 Billion Yuan in China?
Publication date:2022-08-31

Summer is coming, did you buy enough sunscreen cream? For Asians with naturally yellow skin, having white skin is definitely a “secret weapon”, doing a good sunscreen job is the first step in skincare.

Sunscreen, from optional to rigid demand” 

“I will put on sunscreen cream even if I go out without makeup. UV light in summer is stronger, basically I will put on sunscreen cream again every two hours.” A post-95 talked to the Consumers Sector. Among the new consuming female group, sunscreen has switched from an “optional” choice to an 'required' choice.

sunscreen

Sunscreen has become a rigid demand.

 

1.Sunscreen cosmetics in China are still in the early development stage

From global point of view, Sunscreen cosmetics in China are still in the early development stage and the room for growth is enormous.

In 2018 the market size of sunscreen products in China was 6.7 billion yuan, in 2019 12.3 billion yuan, it’s estimated that in 2022 it will reach 20 billion yuan. 

 growth of sunscreen market

 

From the perspective of the whole beauty skincare industry, sunscreen has a large growth space. Beauty skincare is the depression where a new brand is born and is also one of the tracks capital is most optimistic about. According to statistics, the retail sales of Chinese cosmetics reached 307.6 billion yuan and is keeping the increase at two-digit. As an important part of beauty and skincare, the market of sunscreen will grow along with the continuing boom of beauty and skincare market.

 

2.Evolution from single scenario to all scenarios

The skincare awareness of young people of this generation is increasingly stronger, more and more people become aware of the significance of sunscreen. The crowding-in of new consumers and the rise of customer unit price are the two elements driving the continuing development of sunscreen market. Data shows the number of people who bought sunscreen products increased by 51% in 2019, with the customer unit price increasing by 29%. In consumption scenarios, it evolves from single outdoor scenario to all scenarios.

How to understand it?

In traditional perception putting on sunscreen products is basically targeted at strong sunlight of summer to protect from UV radiation. Nowadays this perception has changed and consumers are more willing to protect themselves all day long in all scenarios on a daily basis. All scenarios can be divided into indoor sunscreen and outdoor sunscreen. In indoor scenario, the biggest enemy is “blue light”. Because people face electronic product indoors all the time , the blue light will cause problems like damaged skin barrier, aging skin, pigmentation, etc.

blue light

From outside to inside our skin is divided into: skin surface, epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous tissue. UVB can penetrate deep into the epidermis. UVA can penetrate deep into the dermis. Blue light can penetrate deep into the subcutaneous tissue. Of all, blue light is more damaging to the skin.

The demand for anti-blue light sunscreen is rocketing. According to the data of CBNData, from 2019 to 2020, the demand for anti-blue light sunscreen increased by 14 times. More and more brands produce anti-blue light sunscreen products, for example Neutrogena, ISDIN ,etc.

In outdoor scenario including sports, travel, commute, consumers need high sunscreen, water proof and sweat proof products. This brings forward higher requirements for the R&D capacity of product. For example the product can professionally cope with sun, beach, high temperature, wind and other scenarios. The main claims are like long lasting, high sun protection, refreshing. During the epidemic a new demand--anti-friction occurred, due to the fact that users wear masks. 

 sunscreen outdoors

 

3.The expansion of user groups

Female consumers are absolutely the major consumer group in sunscreen market, accounting for more than 90%. However as the skincare awareness is increasing, some males have begun doing sunscreen job, for example brands like NIVEA have already launched men’s sunscreen products. Besides, more sunscreen products further cultivate subdivided fields, laying focus on pregnant women and infants users ahead of others.

sunscreen for child

Pregnant women and infants users are the consumer groups that can’t be neglected.

In 2019 the growth rate of payment amount of all channels of pregnant womens skincare products was 4 times the amount of of women skincare products. Among TOP 20 sunscreen brands in the market, 45% of them possess sunscreen products specially for infants. Therefore it tells that sunscreen market lay emphasis on infants user group.

Sunscreen market situation in China

With the scenarios of sunscreen products becoming diversified, the demands are continuing to be upgraded. And the competition between foreign brands and Chinese domestic brands is quite fierce.

The majority of sunscreen products in China are imported.

At present, the majority of sunscreen products used are imported products.  According to CBNData, proportion of consumption scale of imported sunscreen brands online is more than 80%.

Of all imported brands, Japanese and Korean brands are mostly favored by Chinese consumers. It’s principally because China is also in Asia and Asian people share similar skin types.

Speaking of that, we can’t overlook Japanese Ace product--ANESSA which ranks TOP 1 in sunscreen brands online for two consecutive years. Its high cost performance, fine and non-greasy spreadability and strong water proof function make it a hit product among consumers. Sunscreen products with faster growth rate include Biore, AHC, SHISEIDO, etc.

consumption scale of sunscreen brands

 ▲Market scale of sunscreen products from different origins

 

Source from Consumers Sector