Why has cult-favourite REN Clean Skincare discontinued 29 products?
REN Clean Skincare has cut its product portfolio down by one-third despite plans to grow global revenues by 46% by 2027.
The brand has discontinued 29 products and has axed five planned launches to reduce costs and encourage mindful consumption. Despite this, REN still plans to boost revenues by expanding into the US.
The skincare brand, which was founded in 2000 in East London by Rob Calcraft and Antony Buck, was the first to market the concept of ‘clean’ products. It was later acquired by conglomerate Unilever in 2015 for an undisclosed amount. REN is currently available in the UK at Space NK, Boots, John Lewis and direct-to-consumer (which makes up 20% of sales).
Over the past 23 years, the product line has continually grown, along with the brand’s cult following. However, their new sales strategy is to reduce products rather than create hype with new releases (which typically recycle already-available sensitive skin formulations).
CEO Michelle Brett, who joined REN in 2022, recently told Vogue Business, "We fell into the trap that many brands do and launched new products to fill perceived gaps… we're now more disciplined."
When streamlining its offering, REN opted to boot products or lines that didn’t align with brand values or saw low sales. The first to go was the anti-ageing range dubbed 'Keep Young & Beautiful', which garnered negative attention for its name. As the rollout of discontinuations commenced, the brand kept the news under the radar to avoid the demand for the limited products.
Despite narrowing its offering, REN maintains its momentum for global growth. As it stands, the UK is the company’s biggest market and makes up 34% of sales. Therefore, it is looking to bolster marketing to the US, carving out a name for itself as sensitive skin friendly among a saturated sea of clean skincare brands.
Brett told Vogue Business that REN is set for 50% growth in the US by the end of this year. The brand is currently only stocked in 34 of Sephora’s network of 500 US stores.
