Beiersdorf : Significant improvement in the third quarter

Whereas NIVEA recorded a 6.2% fall in sales in the first nine months in a very difficult skin care market, in the third quarter, it performed more positively (-1.0%), mainly due to high demand for shower and personal care products. NIVEA also added market share in all skin care categories, particularly in Brazil, Australia, India, and Indonesia. Without the sun care business, NIVEA achieved growth of 0.5% in the third quarter.

The derma brands EUCERIN and AQUAPHOR achieved very good sales growth of 9.2% in the reporting period and even stronger growth of 15.5% in the third quarter. That was driven mainly by double-digit growth rates in North America and by the continuing success story of the patented ingredient Thiamidol.

After a volatile first half of 2020, the Healthcare business unit, mainly comprising the plaster business, recorded a 4.8% fall in sales in the reporting period. The Healthcare unit increased sales by 1.1% in the third quarter and so is now back on the growth path. Its growth in the third quarter was driven by increasing demand in the wound care and sports categories.

Sales of the LA PRAIRIE brand remained below the previous year's level at -34.5%, mainly due to the lockdowns and the drastic decline in the international travel retail business. Compared with previous quarters, however, the selective cosmetics brand achieved a sequential improvement, in particular in the Asia and Americas regions, recording a 16.9% fall in sales in the third quarter.