Douglas Group Maintains FY Guidance as Premium Beauty Resilience Shines in Central and Eastern Europe

THE WHAT? Douglas Group, Europe’s leading omnichannel premium beauty retailer, posted a mixed Q2 2024/25 performance, with strong growth in Central and Eastern Europe offsetting declines in key Western European markets, while the company reaffirmed its full-year outlook and rolled out new initiatives in assortment and customer engagement.

THE DETAILS Group sales for Q2 FY2024/25 declined by 2.0% to €939 million, impacted by negative calendar effects and softer consumer demand, particularly in DACHNL (-3.7%) and France (-2.5%). Central and Eastern Europe stood out with a 7.6% rise in sales, supported by a 14.6% jump in e-commerce. Despite revenue pressure, reported EBITDA rose by 14.5% to €122 million and net income improved significantly, narrowing the loss to €19 million from €41.3 million in the prior year. Douglas attributed the improvement to cost discipline, lower financial expenses following its IPO, and strategic moves including cost optimization and selective store investment. The group continued to advance its “Let it Bloom” strategy with the rollout of new exclusive brands—TYPEBEA by Rita Ora, XO Khloé by Khloé Kardashian—and introduced a new bath care sub-brand, The Botanist, under its Corporate Brands portfolio. It also enhanced its loyalty program and expanded its retail media and sustainable store initiatives.

THE WHY?  While macroeconomic volatility and a shift in Easter trading dates pressured sales in Western Europe, Douglas’s strategic agility—balancing cost control with brand innovation and regional growth—allowed it to defend profitability and reinforce its long-term strategy. The growth of exclusive beauty labels and renewed focus on customer loyalty and digital monetization are positioning the company to capture emerging opportunities in a premium beauty market poised for recovery.

Source: douglas.group

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