How outsourcing is helping to change the face of the personal care market By Rodney Steel, Chief Executive, BCMPA
Rodney Steel, Chief Executive of the BCMPA - the Association for Contract Manufacturing, Packing, Fulfilment & Logistics - discusses how outsourcing businesses are meeting the packaging challenges faced by today’s personal care and beauty sector brands. urrent discussions about the performance of any part of the economy will invariably turn to the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, and the personal care and beauty sector is no different. Nevertheless, at least part of the impact of the crisis has been to accelerate already existing trends such as the desire for sustainable packaging and products, growth in white label and private label manufacturing and the need to fulfil the surge in growth of online shopping. A recent Mintel report estimated that online demand for beauty
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and grooming products increased by 24 percent annually to be worth over £1.9 billion. While this undoubtedly reflected the stay-athome message and closure of the high streets during the lockdowns, it was equally an indication of what was already a fundamental shift from the traditional retail environment. In recent years, therefore, the personal care sector has had to become more fleet of foot to deal with the changing market and consumer demands and this is where outsourcing partners have increasingly been able to meet the needs of brand owners. From new product development and formulation to a comprehensive offering that also includes sourcing, procurement, packing and fulfilment, this is a process
that can take a product from initial concept to the end-consumer. Whilst the Pandemic saw an increase in demand for hand sanitisers and other hygiene products, it also accelerated enquiries into the BCMPA from entrepreneurs and fledgling businesses who seem to have spent part of lockdown looking for fresh opportunities for new personal care and beauty products. In both instances, speed-tomarket has been essential. BCMPA members offer both White Label goods, which are standard off-theshelf products that have already been formulated and tested, and Private Label products that are manufactured to a bespoke formulation and free up the customer to concentrate more on
