FRANCE. Eternal Beauty Holdings Limited (Eternal Group) has highlighted China’s fragrance market potential with the release of its 2025 China Perfume & Fragrance White Paper at the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes.
Themed ‘Unlocking the Scent of China’s Future’, the event launched a landmark report to a global audience, underscoring the company’s key role in connecting international brands with China’s booming fragrance market.
Eternal Group Executive Director and International Fragrance Association Chairman Wendy Lau said: “It’s a pleasure to welcome you today as we explore one of the world’s most dynamic and influential markets – China. The growth here isn’t just rapid – it’s revolutionary.
“And in the midst of this change, Eternal has built more than a business: we’ve built a bridge. A bridge between global brands and Chinese consumers. A bridge between tradition and innovation. A bridge between ambition and execution.”
China’s ‘scent economy’
Eternal Group described the Chinese fragrance industry as a global growth engine and a resilience benchmark at home, outperforming other beauty categories and proving its long-term stability.
This momentum is further fuelled by shifting demographics, with male consumers and Gen Z from lower-tier cities gradually unlocking new consumption opportunities and injecting fresh energy into the market.
The company also identified value-resonant consumption as a key growth driver, reflecting a shift towards emotion-driven choices where fragrances act as tools for self-expression, emotional regulation and temporary escape.
The report finds that 40% of consumers base their scent options on occasions or moods, particularly for relaxation, underscoring fragrance’s connection to emotional well-being.
As Chinese consumers become more fragrance-savvy, the category is shifting into a new phase of accelerated growth.
The White Paper reveals that 81.1% of consumers have made fragrances part of their everyday lives, and 86.1% enhance their home environments with perfume.
The study highlights in-store olfactory experiences as the most influential factor in purchase decisions.
Eternal emphasised the importance of cultural relevance and experiential retail in strengthening consumer engagement. This was showcased through initiatives such as Nose Idea x TNT Space – a designer toy brand rooted in original IP, and the immersive Perfume Box olfactory space.
These trends highlight the Chinese market’s strong potential, opening opportunities for global brands to connect with consumers through cultural storytelling and hyper-localised strategies.
Navigating the Chinese market
The programme featured a panel discussion with leading industry experts, including Eternal Group CEO Chole Lam; Give Back Beauty Group CEO Patrizio Stella; DSM-Firmenich Master Perfumer Alberto Morillas; and SCENT SSU of DSM-Firmenich Consumer Intelligence Global Director for Fine Fragrance Moreno Wolters.
The panel underscored the need for global brands to localise to meet the diverse needs of Chinese consumers.
To support global players entering China, retail executives emphasised the importance of regulatory compliance, particularly in the duty-free sector.
China Duty Free Group Product Merchant Department VP/Deputy General Manager Dorothy Liu joined Eternal executives on the panel, highlighting how CDFG offers premium market access while Eternal provides an integrated ecosystem to de-risk entry.
Looking ahead, Eternal Group aims to continue serving as a strategic bridge, leveraging over 40 years of expertise and its latest White Paper insights to guide international brands’ sustainable growth in China and support the industry’s long-term development. ✈
