In a recent article in the french echo of 24 september, xinhua news (journalist choi ko xin) said that the french cosmetics industry, which was “hit hard” by united states tariff policies, was facing multiple pressures from export blockages, rising costs and restructuring the industrial chain. The article is summarized as follows:
In france, 85 per cent of the cosmetics industry consists of msmes. They are severely affected by high united states tariff policies due to limited risk resistance. In 2024, french cosmetic exports totalled nearly 3 billion euros, of which the united states was the largest overseas market. However, at present, each cosmetic export to the united states is subject to a 15 per cent tariff, while some packaging products, such as rubber spray cans, are subject to an additional 50 per cent additional tax on steel and aluminium。
The head of the french cosmetics industry, christoph masson, said that since the beginning of the year, there had been a marked increase in the proportion of businesses entering judicial reorganization, and that many companies had been in a situation where payments had been suspended or even closed. He stressed that more than half of french cosmetics were export-dependent, “we are experiencing the worst”。
According to astel consulting, there are about 55,000 jobs in the french cosmetics industry, and euro-american trade agreements may threaten 1,500 direct jobs and 3,500 indirect jobs, with a potential loss of 300 million euros. According to french customs data, french cosmetics exports to the united states had declined by 12 per cent in the first half of 2025。
As a result of high tariffs, production bases, logistics links and supply chains in the french cosmetics industry had to be reassessed and adjusted. As a result, some enterprises have begun to compress costs, such as reducing or adjusting packaging weights, but most business managers are still in a state of sight and have not made substantive decisions. Industry sources noted that the outlook for the industry would not be too optimistic in the coming year or two。
