The export of cosmetic products from France increased significantly again last year. Most exports went to the European Union, with Germany as the largest buyer ahead of Spain and Italy, the Cosmetics Industry Association (Febea) announced in Paris on Thursday. In 2023, the export volume worldwide rose by 10.8 percent to 21.3 billion euros compared to the previous year. Exports to the EU increased by 20.8 percent to 8.6 billion euros. The world’s largest buyer after the EU is the USA, followed by China, where sales fell similarly to the Middle East last year. The industry had already increased exports by 18.8 percent in 2022.
The association emphasized that France remains the world’s leading cosmetics manufacturer. The industry contributes greatly to improving the French trade balance. More than 60 percent of French cosmetics production is exported. Despite the major differences in the international market, the French cosmetics industry continued to grow worldwide, said the head of the industry association, Emmanuel Guichard. “Made in France” remains a key asset for the industry. (dpa)