Trading abroad can seem daunting, particularly when the destination is over 3000 miles away.

That’s why, the Department for International Trade (DIT) is embarking on its very first beauty trade mission to Dubai, taking 17 UK brands to Beautyworld Middle East 2022

There’s no denying that the Middle East provides a promising growth opportunity for British beauty. Market-wide, there was a total of £8.3 billion worth of UK exports to the UAE for the four quarters to the end of Q1 2022. Making the destination one of the UK’s most important export partners. 

What’s more, countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) and the wider Middle East are home to one of the world’s fastest-growing beauty markets. According to Statista, the market for beauty and personal care products in the Middle East and Africa was worth £35.4bn in February 2022 with an expectation to grow to £39.7bn by 2026.

People from these nations spend almost double the amount on beauty products per year compared to British buyers. Whilst women in the UK spend an average of £400 annually, those in the Middle East splash an average of £715. 

With this in mind, the DIT and British Beauty Council are setting out on a new mission to increase the visibility of, and accessibility to, UK brands in this lucrative arena.

The department is taking a selection of brands to Beautyworld Middle East. Names including Baylis & Harding, UpCircle Beauty and Urban Apothecary, will traverse borders to boost brand exposure, network with distributors and learn from market experts. 

Taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Beautyworld Middle East is the largest international trade fair for beauty products, hair, fragrances and wellbeing in the region. The event brings together regional buyers looking to connect with exciting brands from around the world.

On the new venture, Jamila Saidi, DIT’s Head of Digital Commerce, Retail & Luxury says: ‘We are delighted to support this exciting and diverse group of innovative UK beauty brands attending Beautyworld Middle East at the end of this month. We hope the trade opportunities and resources offered by both DIT and the British Beauty Council will encourage all British businesses in this sector to maximise their global potential.’

For brands that didn’t make the cut for Beautyworld Middle East 2022, DIT and the British Beauty Council have collaborated on an updated Trade Hub. The ongoing collaboration will ensure the development of a cohesive library of trade resources for business owners wishing to propel their business outside of the UK.  

Victoria Brownlie, Chief Policy Officer at the British Beauty Council says: ‘The Council is determined to showcase the very best of the British Beauty industry to the rest of the world and is dedicated to helping brands to grow. By building our global reputation in the beauty space, everyone wins. Not only do businesses themselves benefit but the UK more widely too.

‘Whether it’s utilising the Trade Hub for helpful tools and resources, connecting with other countries through DIT trade missions, or getting involved with International Trade Week – there’s so much help out there to give brands the confidence they need to that step overseas. Grab it and go for growth!’