L’Oréal has been using a mixed system in which uncarded products – unboxed nail polish, lipstick, lip gloss, eyeshadows, etc., in a protected display – are sold alongside blister-packed products (such as mascara and foundation) to provide consumers with the necessary technical information. To this day, this distribution method had not yet been very successful in France. A “custom-designed” plan was therefore developed by studying each link in the production and marketing chains, while involving a variety of teams and métiers, from marketing to human resources.

TRANSFORMING THE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE AND REDUCING PACKAGING

This in-depth development culminated in an initial 2013 experiment in collaboration with the retail chain Auchan. Today, the testing phase involves nearly all French distributors, with nearly 50 participating stores. The concept has had a positive effect on sales everywhere, commonly resulting in double-digit growth rates. Consumer surveys show that buyers feel uncarded make-up better reveals a product’s true colour, a key factor in make-up purchases, transforming the shopping experience in supermarkets without distorting it, since it maintains selling advantages such as self-serve selection, affordability, clear brand presentation, etc.

The concept fits within a broader environmental initiative, since eliminating blister packs reduces the amount of cardboard and plastics used per packaging. Over time, L’Oréal expects to eliminate 96 tonnes of packaging, including 19 tonnes of plastic and 77 tonnes of cardboard. The objective is to extend the concept to French hypermarkets in the years to come.