Recently, I had the opportunity to ask Rosemarie Downey, Global Head of Packaging Research, Euromonitor International, about their latest global research on sample packaging, unit-dose packaging—and the popular term among brands and consumers, "right-size" packaging.

Findings show that as some beauty consumers have become more price-conscious, smaller size beauty products are a growing avenue to give them access to purchasing their favorite brands.

Jamie Matusow: What trends and/or innovations are you seeing in Sampling, Small Sizes, Single-Dose?
Rosemarie Downey: Right-sizing is more important than ever for today’s price-sensitive grocery shopper. The pursuit of value for money, and specifically the search for low prices, is shoppers’ top purchasing priority as cost-of-living pressures and economic uncertainty continue to present a challenge (if a little less pronounced in 2024), as budgeting has become an essential, but more normalized practice.

Ensuring provision of the right pack size mix to price affordably is necessary across income bands, and from essential toiletries or the more discretionary beauty buys. Beauty consumers in China have become more price-conscious when it comes to skincare. In 2019, 3% of Chinese consumers strongly preferred low prices to premium ingredients/formulations in skincare, but that has risen to 9% in 2023 (Source: Euromonitor Voice of the Consumer: Beauty Survey 2019, 2023)

Downsizing, upsizing, and ‘in-bundling’/kits sales (more below) all have their place in a brand owner’s toolkit today to resonate with consumers via an accessible price point, build rapport, and secure that all-important repeat or larger purchase.

More considered decision-making is happening too, with health and efficacy in buys sought. Well-being and self-care are a high priority in which consumers are willing to pay a premium. In Euromonitor International’s 2023 Voice of the Consumer: Lifestyles Survey, 34% of consumers “would rather buy fewer, but higher quality things.” A more curated way of purchasing certainly applies to beauty, with dermocosmetic brands well-placed to benefit.

Pack-Sizing Advantages

1. Downsizing, for more immediate affordability
Paid-for sampling accelerated during the pandemic as beauty consumers purchased more online as in-store shopping dropped. Purchasing minis became a way for consumers to try out a new skincare or fragrance brand or in color cosmetics, to affordably experiment on a new color whether a foundation, lipstick, or nail polish without the full-size spend outlay, so widening customer access, particularly successful strategy for premium beauty brands. For example, Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty in its launch of Fenty Snackz, an exclusive curated range of mini sizes and sets, launched end-2023.

2. Bundling/sets/kits sales
Expansion of the ranges of miniature beauty products sold in bundles has strengthened in current times of high inflation and cost-of-living pressures.

Beauty sets/kits sales have seen strong growth in 2023 with a 6% rise in color cosmetics sets/kits and an 11% rise in global retail sales of dermocosmetics skincare sets/kits (Euromonitor International Passport Beauty and Personal Care 2024 edition).  This speaks to consumers’ appreciation for being able to buy brands, especially premium brands, at a discount.

Bundling of beauty products answers consumers’ value-seeking need to try out premium products without the outlay of buying each full-size, making these affordable luxuries, given the discount accrued—for example, John Lewis Self-Care Discovery box. They also respond to a growing desire for variety, among a broader consumer base interested in trialing premium beauty.

In fragrances, where unit prices are higher, discovery sets are an interesting growth area, and value-hack way for consumers to affordably experiment without the commitment to buy full-size, full-price.

Examples in fragrance include CREED’s sample inspiration fragrance gift set (5 x 1.7ml size), available for men and women, and Jo Malone discovery set containing 5 x 1.5ml trial-size scents for John Lewis.

There is an environmental cost to be aware of in terms of increasing packaging waste produced by the beauty and personal care industry, with a higher turnover of mini-bottles, jars, tubes, etc., each with its own dispenser/cap.

3. Upsizing is also in action with bulk buys that bring shoppers a better price per ml/g. This is especially relevant to volume-intensive toiletry purchases that are frequently replenished, e.g. in larger pack sizes across hair care (shampoo, conditioner) and bathing products (bath and shower gels/oils, soap).

This trend is not only the preserve of mass beauty—with some interesting higher-end brands adding bulk refill pouches to their portfolio, for “value for the money benefits” to consumers that want to stay with their preferred beauty brand than trade down—for example Ouai and Kerastase brands.

In Ouai’s words, their 32-fl. oz/946ml pouch is “a sustainable Ouai to stock up and save.” Shifting to a bigger pack supports corporate brands’ environmental goals to reduce their plastic packaging footprint, as well as provide a cost saving.

JM: How has Sampling been affected by Covid as far as various ways of dispensing?
RD: Free sampling declined during the pandemic owing to hygiene and safety concerns around, for example, using in-store testers. Larger, paid-for sampling and mini-sizes have grown since; these remain relevant (per above) for consumers looking to try before they buy full-size and a means to experiment with different brands.

JM: How have Sampling methods changed post-pandemic?
RD: There is an environmental angle with consumer concerns over the sheer volume of difficult-to-recycle or non-recyclable sachets in the sampling world, many of which end up as waste rather than recycled or re-used again as packaging. Beauty packaging company, Aptar acquired scented paper technology company iD SCENT in 2023 as an opportunity to develop recyclable paper-based fragrance sampling.