Ding dong, Avon calling!
When you think of the cosmetics brand, you likely picture sales reps at your front door wielding lipsticks and lotions and potions, or perhaps you’re more familiar with a catalogue being dropped on your doorstep.
Either way, for years, these were the only way to buy products from the popular brand, which has been going for an impressive 138 years.
Avon was founded in 1886 as a perfume company and grew into the brand we all know and love today. But it didn’t hit the UK until 1959, and it continued to grow, reaching new heights in the 80s, when it amassed one million sales representatives.
In the 90s, the brand’s popularity continued, with famous faces such as Elizabeth Taylor, and Sophia Loren working with the Avon Foundation. It later partnered with the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Eva Longoira, and Bon Jovi.
It’s come a long way since then, with products now being sold online instead of door-to-door, and for the last year, Superdrug shoppers have been able to purchase Avon’s skincare and make-up in 100 stores.
But the iconic brand is finally expanding to the masses, with the company’s global chief executive Kristof Neirynck claimed that it’ll soon be sold in 2,300 stores worldwide.
This will be the first time in the company’s lengthy history that it will be available to buy in so many physical shops, and the change comes after the Covid pandemic and lockdown rules put a stop to door-to-door selling.
Speaking to Retail Week, Kristof said: ‘We did a Superdrug trial in 100 stores when we launched about a year ago, but then very rapidly, based on sales performance, they rolled us out in 600, and by the end of the year in 650 stores.
‘By the end of this year we’ll be in 2,300 locations and that’s worldwide, with what I would call third-party retailers.’
Where to buy Avon in stores
In addition to
And the brand is also considering opening standalone franchise sites in the UK, run by its reps.
Shoppers can also still buy Avon on the company’s website, and it seems online the brand has numerous fans.
On social media people get very nostalgic about the brand and many are loyal customers who have been buying Avon for decades.
On Instagram @weasywoo said: ‘Avon have such good products, always loved their stuff.’
While their Far Away perfume range has been hailed as smelling ‘amazing’. @urbanangel1111 posted: ‘I remember wearing Far Away in high school. A teacher walked past me on the stairs then stopped and asked me what perfume I was wearing as she adored it.’
Others are hopeful that some of their favourite products from the past will make a comeback, such as ‘old classic’ perfumes, especially those from the 80s with funky novelty bottles.
On X (formerly Twitter) @pwiscila shared snaps of old bottles, writing: ‘Avon just casually makeing the most perfect and fun perfume and make-up packaging.’
And @cam_inator added: ‘Why can’t make-up products today have packaging like 80s Avon products did. Swrew minimalist, I want a f***ing beehive.’
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