Poland’s cosmetics market continues to expand. According to YouGov data covering 2024–2025, the value of the cosmetics shopping basket in Poland has reached PLN 18.5 billion. At the same time, nearly half of sales in this category are generated through promotions, demonstrating that attractive prices have become a permanent feature of consumers’ shopping strategies.
Brands nevertheless continue to play an important role. As many as 59% of Polish consumers pay attention to whether they are buying a manufacturer brand or a private-label product, while 45% are willing to pay more for branded cosmetics.
The Polish cosmetics market is maintaining a steady growth rate. YouGov data shows that the category is expanding not only in terms of sales value but also in the number of products purchased. It remains one of the consumer goods segments that continues to attract shoppers and generate higher purchasing volumes.
Face Creams Drive Market Growth
Face creams account for the largest share of the cosmetics basket by value, at 8.7%, followed by shampoos at 6.8%, deodorants at 6.6% and perfumes at 6.5%.
Among the leading categories, face creams recorded the strongest growth. The number of buyers increased by 5%, sales volume rose by 9%, and the value of sales exceeded PLN 1.6 billion, representing growth of 8.2%. Household penetration in the category increased to 64.8%.
Shampoos remain the category with the highest household penetration. They were purchased by 83.6% of households, equivalent to almost 11.7 million buyers. The average household bought 7.3 packs per year and spent approximately PLN 108 on shampoos, an increase of 8% year on year.
Deodorants maintained the highest purchase frequency, with consumers buying them an average of 5.7 times per year. However, this figure was 2% lower than in the previous period. Total sales volume in the category reached almost 99 million packs.
Changes in Retail Channels
YouGov data shows that discount stores retain the largest share of the overall fast-moving consumer goods market, at 44.4%. In the cosmetics category, however, drugstores dominate, accounting for 50.5% of consumer spending.
Discount stores represent 25.3% of cosmetics expenditure, while e-commerce accounts for 7.4%.
The strongest growth in spending was recorded in e-commerce, where expenditure increased by 10.1%, and in drugstores, which posted growth of 9.5%. Hypermarkets, meanwhile, recorded a decline of 6.5%.
Promotional purchases account for 32.3% of total FMCG expenditure. In household chemicals and cosmetics, however, the figure is considerably higher at 46.4% and has increased compared with the previous year.
In the face cream category, as much as 61% of sales value came from products purchased on promotion. The proportion was even higher in some drugstore chains. Promotional purchases accounted for 59% of spending at Rossmann, an increase from the previous year, 58% at Hebe and 26% at dm.
“We can clearly see that promotions in the cosmetics category are no longer simply a tool for supporting sales. They have become a permanent part of consumers’ shopping strategies. Traditional price reductions and mechanisms such as ‘50% off the second product’ or ‘buy two, get one free’ are considered the most attractive. Consumers are highly capable of assessing different promotional formats and choose those that offer a genuine and tangible benefit,” said Agnieszka Górecka, Local & Regional Clients Director at YouGov.
The Role of Brands in the Cosmetics Category
Private-label products account for 11.8% of the cosmetics market by value, equivalent to approximately PLN 1.6 billion. This is significantly below the level recorded across the entire FMCG market, where private labels already represent 23% of total sales value.
While private-label products have become equal or even dominant competitors in many food categories, their role in cosmetics remains more limited. Manufacturer brands continue to have a significant influence on consumers’ purchasing decisions.
This is confirmed by consumer declarations. Some 59% of respondents pay attention to whether they are buying a manufacturer brand or a private-label product, while 45% say they are willing to pay more for branded cosmetics.
Changing Consumer Behaviour
Product quality is expected to play an increasingly important role in cosmetics purchasing decisions. Price and promotions remain significant, but consumers are increasingly considering them as part of a broader assessment of value.
Health, well-being and the ability to save time and effort are also becoming more important. At the same time, the proportion of consumers who say they do not need to reduce their spending is growing, along with their willingness to choose branded products.
“The beauty market is entering a period of more considered purchasing decisions. Consumers are paying closer attention to whether they choose a manufacturer brand or a private-label product, and they are prepared to pay more when they see genuine value. This is a clear indication that product quality and brand strength will be key factors in the near future,” said Magdalena Pac-Pomarnacka, Senior Consultant at YouGov.
The findings are based on the YouGov Shopper Panel, which monitors 8,000 Polish households and covers purchases made by households for their own use and brought into the home.
