How has Covid Affected the Perfume Industry
Perfumes and scents have witnessed a number of changes since antiquity. The unprecedented Covid pandemic, however, has brought about huge revisions in the ever flourishing fragrance industry. From online perfume shops, ‘touchless’ marketing solutions and blurring the lines between perfumes for men and women, the pandemic introduces the world to the proper rescripting of the perfume industry. So, here’s how the Covid pandemic’s disastrous effects extend into the industry, critically paralysing it, but all the same inspiring fresh mindsets and ways of marketing to bloom and take the wheel.
1 – Emerging Problems
With the advent of the Covid pandemic, a number of hurdles were thrown at the fragrances industry – essentially regarding raw materials and distribution.
Firstly, the availability of raw ingredients like floral extract, local exoticities, regional ingredient variants etc was heavily affected. Material crops went unpicked, poor produce was gathered because of lack of proper care, import and export limitations due to different virus scenarios around the world etc.
Secondly, one can definitely notice the lack of availability of one very crucial element in Perfumery – ALCOHOL!
Yes! Alcohol is a necessary element for the proper production of any premium fragrance . As alcohol usage got prioritised for the manufacture of hand sanitizers, disinfectants, cleaning agents etc due to their increased demands in these perilous times, the perfume industry has been receiving a considerably low amount of alcohol for perfume synthesis. The import and export of materials turns out to be fairly complicated as it remains heavily dependent on the delicate balance of the exporter’s and importer’s regional abilities to make the transaction, which may often prove to be impaired due to the spreading virus causing lockdowns, delays, lack of funds etc.
2 – Demand Dynamics
At the wake of this issue, the demand for perfumes and fragrances was at the receiving end of a heavy blow, as people prioritised stocking hygiene-related and other well being products over perfumes. The consumers featured a coping change in their preferences of products with increased concerns regarding natural elements, hygienic methods, transparency regarding manufacture, less use of chemicals and sustainability. Apart from this the distribution of the final product, the manufactured premium fragrance also experienced problems because of the precarious spread of the virus in different collection, distribution and retail areas.
3 – Primary Shift to Online Means
To counter the majority of problems, the perfume industry renovated its means of marketing and inclined more towards online forms. The statistics note a shift from 19% of perfume sales to a whopping 33% of online sales in the span of two years from 2019 to 2021. Although the sales of perfumes seem to be booming in the online sector through any online perfume shop, it fails to make up for the loss experiences in the brick-and-mortar sale of these scents and fragrances. Furthermore, the perfume brands are expected to have an existing online reach overseas and hence an established international identity to ensure the necessary sale patterns.
4 – Branching and Counter-Measures
The perfume and fragrance industry reimagines numerous conventional ways of marketing and manufacturing to cope with the current condition of the spreading pandemic. For example, most of the companies are adapting social distancing practices by introducing “touchless” solutions which enables artificial intelligence to help the customer try out a number of perfumes without involving any sort of contact. It also records one’s preferences to improve further selections by creating ‘fragrance profile’ for perfumes for men , women and others.
Also, we can see how companies are focusing more than just attracting people through their scents but also providing healthcare means through their products. A great example of this can be increased interest in ‘aromatherapy’ which involves the careful use of aromas, scents and essential oils to promote holistic treatments.
Lastly, one can also see how many companies are branching out into various other products according to the popular need and demand like face masks, home diffusers, candles etc and proving their expertise of aromas in varied employers of fragrances. Currently trending, these home aromas use a premium fragrance and add character to our living spaces.
We can notice how perfume companies move from mere perfumes for men and women and cope with the pandemic by diversifying and adapting to the current situation. Arising problems like the lack of physical engagement, which was expected to be crucial in the proper distribution of any premium fragrance, have evolved into modern ways of online platforms like Le Florentine’s online perfume shop . So as with any industry, fragrances have also gone through their ups and downs but the perfume industry survives the vexatious covid pandemic and continues to deliver our favorite scents, one bottle at a time.