L''Oreal Romania expects at least 20m euros

Cosmetics company L”Oreal Romania this year plans to boost sales through pharmacies, after their weight in total sales grew over 20% in 2004.

“At present, pharmacies are the distribution circuit that is best organised into networks, and this segment is among the most dynamic”, said Dan Zloteanu, marketing manager with L”Oreal Romania.

L”Oreal Romania last year logged sales worth 17 million euros, 20% higher as compared to 2003.

“The advantage of drug stores over the customary retail channel is that they confer additional credibility to products due to professional recommendations of hired personnel, that is pharmacists,” the marketing manager added. He did not mention the share of sales through pharmacies in the company”s total turnover.

The main networks selling L”Oreal cosmetics are Sensiblu, Help Net, Eurofarmacia and Siepcofar.

The company originally started selling the Vichy range of cosmetics through these networks, as it is destined to drug stores, and subsequently introduced two new lines of products, namely L”Oreal and Garnier. Pharmacies are one of the sectors having attracted very large investments lately and increasingly more networks have started expanding their product range.

The company this year plans to derive growth at least equal to growth logged in 2003, that is at least 20 million euros.

“This year we believe the most dynamic categories will be hair care products, particularly the hair conditioner and intensive care segment. At the same time, we expect significant growth along the segment of decorative cosmetics, too, with face lotions to also post important growth”, he added.

georgiana.stavarache@zf.ro