What to Watch: Can Beauty Save the British High Street?

LONDON — Beauty is helping British high-street retailers stay out of the red. As consumer spending on beauty products increases, ailing retailers like Debenhams and Boots are putting the category at the forefront of their restructuring strategy, while companies who have never been in the beauty game before, from supermarket chain Sainsbury’s to fast-fashion retailer Primark, are looking to tap into the opportunity. “Beauty is such an accessible commodity to the consumer, so it stands to reason that high-street retailers known for pharmacy, food and fast fashion are getting into the game,” said Millie Kendall, chief executive officer of the British Beauty Council. Companies are betting big on beauty, especially for the likes of Debenhams and Boots, which have both been struggling with sales. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, Boots’ Retail Pharmacy international division saw sales decrease by 2.7 percent, while Debenhams filed for administration earlier this year. However, both believe that beauty can provide the makeover they desperately need. According to Sebastian James, senior vice president and managing director of Boots U.K. and Republic of Ireland, “there has been a radical shift in the performance of our premium beauty sector. It gives us confidence that this is the way forward. Richard Cristofoli,

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