Beiersdorf claims European-wide success for anti-cellulite treatment

According to Beiersdorf, just three months after the product's launch, its success has helped to nudge Nivea body range into the top position in the category for body care products in those countries, while becoming the market leader in the anti-cellulite segment in the Netherlands.

The company's official sales figures reveal that the product secured a market share of 31 per cent in the all-important French body care category, significantly out-selling the second biggest producer, L'Oreál, which managed to capture 22.2 per cent of the market.

This figure is particularly impressive, given that France is the leading market by value in Europe and the third biggest cosmetics market in the world.

The company added that because of a strong take-up on Good-bye Cellulite, sales for the body care category in Italy and Portugal increased significantly, to secure a 32 per cent and 26.8 per cent market share respectively.

In Turkey, Nivea body sales secured a 64.5 per cent market share in the total body category, of which 25 per cent purported to Good-bye Cellulite Gel, while in the Netherlands sales of the product outperformed its closest competitor in the anti-cellulite segment by 2 to 1 in sales.

Beiersdorf said that in addition to strong sales of its anti-cellulite treatment, the fact that all the countries that witnessed strong growth had taken an integrated approach to their marketing activities combined with using the Good-bye cellulite advertising campaign had helped to boost sales.

Anti-cellulite treatments have become a big focus for personal care players in recent years. Growth has led to the creation of a sub-category within the body care category which has been rapidly filled by all the major market players.

And with seven out of ten women estimated to be susceptible to the condition, treatments targeting the thigh and buttocks area are being taken up be women eager to treat the resulting dimpled effect to the skin.

Personal care companies say that advances in formulation development have allowed them to produce increasingly effective treatments. Beiersdorf claims that the main active substance in its treatment is L-Carnitine, which is said to help convert fat reserves into energy, in turn spreading fat deposits throughout the skin.

However, claims over the efficacy of such products have courted controversy in Europe. Most recently the UK advertising watchdog, Advertising Standards Agency, insisted that ads for L'Oreal's Perfect Slim product should not claim that it can visibly reduce the appearance of cellulite because their was not enough evidence to back the claims up.