L'Oréal Group reports 16.1% annual growth and strong performance in make-up category

L'Oréal has reported group sales of £27.21 billion (€32.28 billion) for the year ending 31 December 2021, with like-for-like sales growing of 16.1%, twice that of the the worldwide beauty market.

The consumer product category, the largest of the group by volume, grew by 5.6% like-for-like across the year with make-up performing particularly well.

The L’Oréal Paris brand strengthened its global positioning with sales exceeding €6 billion, while Maybelline's launch of the Sky High mascara was the most successful launch in the brand's history. NYX Professional Makeup also reported growth, boosted by major launches such as its tie-up with Netflix series Money Heist (La Casa de Papel).

The Group's other product divisions also reported growth. The professional product category increased by 24.8% like-for-like and saw haircare as its biggest growth contributor. The Kérastase and L’Oréal Professionnel brands were singled out as performing especially well. L’Oréal Luxe became the Group’s largest division, with success in fragrances.

Active Cosmetics, which includes brands La Roche-Posay, Vichy and SkinCeuticals doubled its growth in the past four year and achieved a 31.8% like-for like increase against 2020.

Nicolas Hieronimus, Chief Executive Officer of L'Oréal, said: "2021 was a historic year for L’Oréal. L’Oréal gained market share in all Zones, Divisions and categories. In Europe, boosted by the Zone’s reorganisation, L’Oréal achieved significant market share gains and saw a return to 2019 levels.

"In 2021, we again extended our digital lead: e-commerce 5 grew by 25.7%, accounting for 28.9% of sales. We have been able to seize the opportunities offered by new digital channels. At the same time, we are continuing to digitalise points of sale as part of an integrated omnichannel strategy.

"We are also pursuing our Beauty Tech transformation by investing in data and artificial intelligence, and by establishing strategic partnerships such as our alliance with Verily, to better understand and characterise skin and hair aging mechanisms.

"L’Oréal’s exceptional growth, driven by superior innovations, as well as rigorous cost control, has enabled us to invest extensively in our brands and increase their appeal, while at the same time delivering record operating profit and an operating margin up 50 basis points."