With 46% of BPC buyers being more likely to buy from a brand/retailer that takes a stand on issues related to minority groups than one that doesn’t, beauty brands can no longer sit on the fence when it comes to these. Having an opinion does not mean being political, however; only 13% of adults consider the taking of a political stand on issues relating to minority groups as a top three factor for a diverse beauty brand.

COVID-19 has exacerbated existing societal differences. Those on the lowest incomes have been most impacted, being most likely to cut back spend on BPC. In addition, those from BAME groups have been disproportionately impacted by infection rates, and are also overrepresented in the industries that have been hardest hit by job losses. This will see the economic divide increase between those who can afford discretionary beauty products and those who can’t.

A threat to beauty brands now comes from remaining silent on issues relating to diversity, as those that don’t have an opinion risk losing consumers to those that do, particularly younger consumers. Many brands are driving DEI practices behind the scenes, and sharing this with consumers can be a way to show the authenticity of such measures – particularly as consumers are increasingly seeing diversity as a tick-box exercise for beauty brands.

There are also opportunities for well-known brands to support and be a platform for smaller, minority-owned brands particularly as 23% of BPC buyers seek out brands owned by a minority.

• The impact of COVID-19 on the beauty consumer.

• How consumers define a diverse beauty brand.

• Issues faced when buying BPC products and opportunities for brands and retailers.

• The impact of diversity issues when buying BPC products.

• Attitudes towards diversity in beauty.

• Perceptions of well-known brands and opportunities in brand attributes.

The first COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the UK at the end of January 2020, with a small number of cases in February. As the case level rose, the government ordered the closure of non-essential stores on 20 March. 

A wider lockdown requiring people to stay at home except for essential shopping, exercise and work ‘if absolutely necessary’ followed on 23 March. It wasn't until 15 June that non-essential stores were allowed to reopen, followed by pubs, restaurants, hotels and hairdressers on 4 July, and many beauty businesses on 13 July.

By September, it had become clear that the UK was at the start of a second wave, and social distancing measures were intensified. Continued increases in infection numbers led to Wales implementing a two-week national lockdown from 19 October, England announcing a month-long lockdown from 5 November and Scotland introducing a new five-level system of coronavirus restrictions. 

Despite these restrictions, however, case numbers continued to increase. All four UK nations tightened restrictions in January 2021, effectively leading to a full UK-wide lockdown. There is no defined end date for the lockdown, although the legislation regarding the English lockdown that was presented to Parliament extends to 31 March.

The UK’s vaccination programme started on 8 December 2020, and with both the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines licensed for use in the UK, the government aims to offer a vaccine to 15 million people by mid-February.

This Report examines consumer attitudes towards diversity in BPC. This includes attitudes towards the representation and inclusion of different racial groups, ethnicities, genders, abilities, body types and age in beauty.

This Report draws on consumer research that was conducted among a nationally representative sample, enabling us to explore attitudes towards diversity in beauty across the broader population, rather than specifically targeting minority groups.