As Charlotte Tilbury celebrates the opening of its Westfield Stratford City store, marking its third standalone site in London, the RetailX Consumer Packaged Goods 2024 report looks at this rapidly growing force in the European CPG market.
Offering a curated range of premium makeup and skincare products, Charlotte Tilbury’s philosophy revolves around “enhancing what you already have”. Its products are known for their luxurious textures and high-performance formulas, but mostly for their celebrity connections. Many products are named after the makeup artist’s famous clients, creating a sense of exclusivity and desirability. These include Kate Moss, Amal Clooney and Jennifer Aniston among others.
While initially launched in the UK in 2013, the company has since expanded operations across a number of European countries, including Ireland, the Netherlands and Germany. The brand, which relies on D2C for a significant portion of sales – it is described as “easily the most popular D2C brand” among beauty companies on TikTok – boasts a near-global online presence. Its website, charlottetilbury.com, generated $11.89mn in revenue over the last three months of 2023, with 120,869 transactions and 4,014,020 sessions. Annual revenues for the company as a whole topped £300mn in 2022.
Part of this comes from sales through its own stores and part is also via retailer partnerships with a number of well-known stores. Charlotte Tilbury has strategically partnered with high-end department stores like Selfridges and Harrods in the UK, and Sephora across Europe. These partnerships provide valuable retail space and access to a wider customer base.
Several factors make Charlotte Tilbury a compelling player in the European CPG landscape. Firstly, the brand leverages its premium ingredients, celebrity associations and luxurious packaging to carve out a niche within the high-end beauty market. It also champions inclusivity with a wide range of shades and formulas catering to diverse skin tones and features. This resonates with modern consumers seeking beauty solutions that enhance their natural features.
Together this means that it has, like all successful CPG companies, very strong brand recognition. Charlotte Tilbury, the company’s eponymous founder, with her infectious passion and expertise, is a driving force behind the brand’s success. Her persona and signature “darling” language create a strong brand identity that fosters customer loyalty.
From a distribution point of view, the brand’s success lies in its effective blend of a strong online presence with strategic retail partnerships, offering a convenient and personalised experience for customers.
As a result, Charlotte Tilbury’s future in the European CPG market appears bright. Continued expansion into new European territories, innovative product launches and a focus on maintaining its premium image are likely key elements in their future strategy. As the beauty industry continues its evolution, Charlotte Tilbury’s ability to adapt and cater to evolving customer demands will play a pivotal role in its continued success.
This is one of 12 profiles in the RetailX Consumer Packaged Goods 2024 report. This report looks at the underlying market for CPG goods in Europe, how each part of the often complex supply chain has to change to meet these new demands and what that means for a raft of key players in the sector.
Drawing on market data, consumer surveys and case studies, the report offers a snapshot of where the European CPG market is today, where it has come from and, crucially, where it is heading.
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