Superdrug sees 'tremendous Christmas' with sales boosted by fragrance and cosmetics

Superdrug has reported a 16% increase in sales for the five weeks ending 31 December 2022, with fragrance and cosmetics delivering the "biggest sales week ever" in the week before Christmas.

Cosmetics sales returned to pre-pandemic Christmas 2019 levels as shoppers prepared for the party season, whilst fragrance sales were boosted by premium fragrance. This completed a "fantastic growth year" for fragrance at Superdrug, after six luxury brands were introduced in September 2022.

Superdrug's 'Beauty Studio' also saw its biggest month in December, with nail and piercing services proving the most popular.

The retailer saw increased footfall across December 2022, with average weekly transactions 19% higher than December 2021. In addition, Superdrug's continued focus on affordability was a "significant driver of growth", resulting in a 20% rise in own-brand sales and an increased uptake of Members Only pricing amongst Health & Beautycard users.

During the festive period, the retailer also continued to expand its online offering. This included the launch of Superdrug Marketplace in November 2022, which listed close to 7,000 new products for customers to discover in December.

Peter Macnab, CEO of Superdrug, said: "We are delighted to say that we had a tremendous Christmas at Superdrug. Our commitment to accessibility means that customers continue to come to us for the very best in high street value, at a time when affordability really matters. Our continued investment in stores, market-leading digital progression and innovation in own-brand has driven increased sales and market share growth. I’d like to thank all of my colleagues for all of their hard work in bringing such a fantastic and competitive offering to shoppers.”