South Africa Perfume Market Overview, 2029

In South Africa, fragrances can now be found in almost every body care product today and are no longer exclusive to products such as perfumes or colognes, deodorants, or body mists. Fragrances are used in body lotions, hair products, etc. as a means to cover unpleasant smells that can occur naturally with certain ingredients. Products often use fragrances to mask the natural smells of the ingredients (i.e., chemicals) being used in a product, making it more attractive to the general public. While many consumers in South Africa are beginning to recognize the harmful effects of these fragrances and are now switching to fragrance-free products, some individuals still prefer the scents that come with their body care products. Fragrances made in Africa are the world's best-selling perfumes. Nicknamed "Africa's Chanel No. This still-little-known fragrance is named Bint El Sudan, daughter of Sudan. According to the survey, the top three key considerations for all 4,672 respondents in 10 African nations when purchasing personal care products were quality (41%), natural components (37%), and aroma (36%). What struck out among these responses was that 75% of Ghanaians, 56% of South Africans, and 46% of Tanzanians cited scent as their first priority, whereas quality was the primary consideration for the majority of individuals. As a result, for brands producing personal care goods in these three nations, this could be a critical insight.


According to Research Report “South Africa Perfume Market Overview, 2029” published by Bonafide research, the South Africa Perfume market is anticipated to grow at more than 5.70% CAGR from 2024 to 2029. The South Africa perfume market is gaining momentum due to rising personal care trends and growing demand for exotic scents for young people. Moreover, product diversification by manufacturers is attracting more consumer segments. Apart from that, rising consumer spending on luxury fragrances due to rising income levels and rising living standards continues to boost perfume sales. Other major factors propelling the demand for perfumes worldwide are rapid urbanization, increasing population and aggressive advertising by the manufacturers. However, the availability of counterfeit goods is one of the biggest challenges for the market. Perfume is particularly popular among South African women, according to certain research, with 7 out of 10 women wearing it at least every day (compared to 3 in 10 men). Surprisingly, the majority of responders reapply perfume on a regular basis, with 85% reapplying it once or twice a day. A modest but not insignificant proportion of people wear perfume three times every day. When it comes to perfumes, males love fresh and zesty scents, whilst women prefer them. At addition, fragrances are sold in supermarkets and hypermarkets, independent boutiques, and health and beauty stores. A more extensive independent country research, however, revealed that over half of South African respondents prioritized pharmacies and drugstores when purchasing perfume.

Based on Product type, Eau De Parfum is one of the leading segments in the market as it has highest level of fragrance concentrations and includes a huge percentage of essential oils as compared to other types. Parfum is expected to be fastest growing during forecast period owing to its higher concentration and longevity of fragrance scent. Based on End User, Women segment leads the market as women populations are inclined towards sustainable fragrances for their personal grooming purposes. Men segment is expected to grow at faster rate during forecast period due to increasing personal hygiene & grooming awareness among men. Men fragrances are stronger and more aromatic in nature, which, in turn, may increase the product’s adoption. On the basis of Product, Premium segment is leading the market due to personalization, product differentiation and quality and increasing demand for handcrafted and exclusive products. Mass products segment is expected to grow at faster rate during forecast period due to increasing production which results to increasing demand. Based on Nature Type, Synthetic Perfume leads the market due to increased production and consumption among people. Natural Perfume is expected to grow at significant rate during forecast period due to increasing awareness about use of organic products to avoid skin related problems or allergies.


Based on Distribution Channel, Offline segment leads the market which includes hypermarket/ Supermarkets, Convenience Stores, Specialty Stores, etc. The biggest hypermarkets and supermarkets in the South Africa are Shoprite Holdings, Spar Group, Pick n Pay, and Woolworths Holdings Limited. Shoprite Holdings is South Africa’s largest food retailer. It serves 35 million customers across Africa. Pick n Pay is the second-largest supermarket chain in South Africa. The Online segment is projected to expand at a remarkable CAGR over the forecast period, which can be attributed to increasing internet penetration rates across South Africa. E-commerce platforms offer a wide range of products to their consumers at attractive discounts, and they provide multiple payment options such as net banking, debit cards, and credit cards, which are some of the important factors augmenting the segment's growth. Nordstrom, Fragrancenet, FragranceX, Sephora, Scentbird, Ulta, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's are some of the well-known websites to buy perfume online in South Africa.

Covid-19 Impact:
The South African fragrance market has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, perfume companies and brands have been forced to halt all production at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown. However, it continued to manufacture and sell personal care products, including skin care, hair care, deodorants, and toiletries. Labor and production cuts due to strict health and safety guidelines hampered continued supply to the market.



Considered in this report
• Geography: South Africa
• Historic year: 2018
• Base year: 2023
• Estimated year: 2024
• Forecast year: 2029

Aspects covered in this report
• South Africa Perfume market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Product Type
• Eau De Parfum
• Eau De Toilette
• Eau De Cologne
• Eau Fraiche
• Parfum
• Others

By End User
• Men
• Women
• Others

By Ingredient Type
• Natural
• Synthetic

By Product
• Premium
• Mass

By Distribution Channel
• Online
• Offline

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.


Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to Perfume industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.