Lombardy, the little-known global cosmetics outsourcing region

If fashion represents one of the most important industries in Italy with revenues of nearly 96 billion euros in 2022, cosmetics "Made in Italy" generated more than 13 billion euros in 2022 and indirectly employs over 400,000 people. Therefore, it was no coincidence that the annual meeting of Cosmetica Italia, held at the end of February in Rome, began with a a video announcement from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, confirming the importance of this sector for Italy: " The cosmetic sector is the flagship of "Made in Italy" products, which testify to Italian excellence." Indeed, 67% of cosmetic products consumed in Europe and 55% of those used worldwide are produced in Italy. A whole ecosystem of companies and research laboratories is active, mainly in Lombardy, under the auspices of the Lombardy Cosmetic System. This week, from March 16 to 20, the 54th edition of Cosmoprof, the largest international event in the sector, takes place in BolognaFiere.

Benedetto Lavino, CEO of Cosmetica Italia, detailed the economic implications of the sector in an exclusive interview.

What is the weight of the cosmetics sector in Italy?

This is a field that has shown itself to be solid and mature over the last two years, capable of facing extremely complex and difficult scenarios. The conclusions of the Centro Studi di Cosmetica Italia confirm this, with industry sales of 11.8 billion at the end of 2021, rising to 13.2 billion in 2022, and expected to reach 14.2 billion in 2023. An increase of 2 billion compared to pre-Covid values. The sector has not only been able to absorb the difficulties of the macroeconomic scenario, but also to react to economic and social changes, investing in innovation and development.

Companies specialized in cosmetics produce almost exclusively in Lombardy, an important sector for the influence of "Made in Italy". What are the specificities that have favored this phenomenon?

In 2021 ( ISTAT data processing), the highest concentration of cosmetic companies is confirmed in the north of Italy, with a geographical weight of over 80%, in line with the percentages of recent years. Lombardy remains the region with the highest density of cosmetic companies, with over 55%. If we then consider the amount of revenue as the qualifying element of the ranking, the geographical distribution sees Lombardy in first place with over 67%, followed by Lazio with 10.9% and Emilia Romagna with 6%. The supremacy of Lombardy also reveals another characteristic of the cosmetics sector: the weight and relevance of companies with a subcontracting vocation concentrated in this geographical area with a production value of over 1.81 billion euros (up 8% in 2020).