Total prestige beauty in China — which is those products sold mainly in department stores and Sephora stores in the top 10 cities in mainland China — rose 21% in 2011 compared with 2010, according to beauty market research by NPD.

Consumer electronic accessories are a big business, and drug stores increasingly are grabbing more share. In 2011, mobile phone accessories sales totaled $1.24 billion, up 10% from 2010, according to NPD Group.


Sales of facial anti-aging skin care products at mass have been on the down slope. According to SymphonyIRI Group, sales of facial anti-aging products slipped 4.2% during the 12 weeks ended Jan. 22 at food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart).


NPD Group is expanding its portfolio of solution-oriented products and services by acquiring data from Walmart's U.S. stores and website.

Sales of craft kits and art supplies “remain strong with a slight uptick,” according to Adrienne Appell, a spokeswoman for the Toy Industry Association.

Prestige makeup sales experienced growth during the first 10 months of the year, with the nail segment coming out a winner all around with a $50-plus increase in both nail enamel and top/base coats, according to beauty market research conducted by the NPD Group.

Drug stores continue to offer more fresh grocery items. “Fresh fruit and vegetables are top grocery categories. There’s high demand for the products, and the size of the market is huge. So it makes sense that the drug channel is going after that business,” said Harry Balzer, chief industry analyst and VP of the NPD Group.

Those within the mass-market beauty industry are wise not to rest on their laurels, as research indicates that sales of prestige makeup and skin care in U.S. department stores surpassed pre-recession volume in the first half of 2011, according to market research company the NPD Group.

Back-to-college merchandise is big business. “College students are starting to represent the most important segment of the back-to-school market,” said Perry James, an analyst with the NPD Group. The segment has grown, Perry said, since the weak job market has caused many college seniors to extend their education through graduate school.



Following a dismal year 
in 2009, U.S. prestige beauty categories experienced an upswing in 2010 and, judging by the numbers, 2011 looks to be a positive year for prestige beauty.

Sales of games and puzzles dipped 6% last year to $1.24 billion, according to the NPD Group, but Adrienne Appell, a spokeswoman for the Toy Manufacturers Association, said that as a category, games have held steady over the past few years.