Overall, the value of exported perfumes rose by an average 16.8% for all exporting countries since 2015 when perfumes shipments were valued at $16.8 billion. Year over year, the value of international sales for perfumes dropped by -5.1% from 2018 to 2019.
Among continents, European countries sold the highest dollar worth of exported perfumes during 2019 with shipments from Europe valued at $15.1 billion or over three-quarters (77.3%) of the global total. In second place were Asian exporters at 11.9%, while 9.4% of worldwide shipments originated from North America. Smaller percentages came from Latin America (1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.3%) then Oceania (0.2%) mostly Australia.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for perfumes and toilet waters is 3303. This code prefix specifically excludes aftershave lotions, personal deodorants and hair lotions.
Perfumes Exporters by Country
Countries
Below are the 15 countries that sold the highest dollar value worth of exported perfumes during 2019.
- France: US$5.4 billion (27.5% of total exported perfumes)
- Spain: $2.3 billion (11.9%)
- Germany: $2.2 billion (11.4%)
- United States: $1.7 billion (8.5%)
- Italy: $1.3 billion (6.8%)
- Singapore: $1.1 billion (5.6%)
- Netherlands: $760.1 million (3.9%)
- United Kingdom: $620.5 million (3.2%)
- Poland: $537.5 million (2.7%)
- Czech Republic: $521.2 million (2.7%)
- Belgium: $480.6 million (2.5%)
- Hong Kong: $281.4 million (1.4%)
- Switzerland: $236 million (1.2%)
- United Arab Emirates: $189.6 million (1%)
- China: $179.4 million (0.9%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 91% of global perfumes exported in 2019 by value.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing perfumes exporters since 2015 were: Czech Republic (up 183.7%), Spain (up 58.8%), Poland (up 45.9%) and Singapore (up 39.2%).
Four countries posted declines in their exported perfumes sales namely: United Arab Emirates (down -59.3%), United Kingdom (down -26.6%), Belgium (down -11.9%) and Switzerland (down -7.7%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for perfumes during 2019. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported perfumes and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- France: US$4.9 billion (net export surplus up 23.7% since 2015)
- Spain: $1.5 billion (up 85.6%)
- Italy: $771.6 million (up 33.8%)
- Germany: $533.2 million (up 91.4%)
- Singapore: $247.7 million (up 73.9%)
- Poland: $122.5 million (up 1.5%)
- Belgium: $62.5 million (down -60.8%)
- India: $56.6 million (down -20.5%)
- Colombia: $50.6 million (up 14.4%)
- Switzerland: $21 million (down -63.3%)
- Turkey: $14.6 million (reversing a -$46.4 million deficit)
- Senegal: $4.3 million (up 19.4%)
- Malta: $2.1 million (reversing a -$3.1 million deficit)
- Bahrain: $1.4 million (reversing a -$17.4 million deficit)
- Barbados: $1.2 million (up 32.5%)
France generated the highest surplus in the international trade of perfumes. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms France’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Opportunities
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for perfumes during 2019. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported perfumes purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- United States: -US$809.7 million (net export deficit up 86% since 2015)
- United Arab Emirates: -$542.2 million (up 427.6%)
- United Kingdom: -$526.9 million (up 95%)
- Russia: -$494.4 million (up 23.5%)
- Saudi Arabia: -$431.4 million (up 8.5%)
- China: -$378 million (up 729.2%)
- Australia: -$342.1 million (up 13.9%)
- Hong Kong: -$256.1 million (up 42.8%)
- Japan: -$246 million (up 20.8%)
- Netherlands: -$229.9 million (up 114.8%)
- Panama: -$216 million (reversing a $116.8 million surplus)
- Canada: -$203.8 million (up 12.5%)
- Macao: -$177.6 million (up 329.4%)
- Austria: -$166.5 million (up 29.1%)
- South Korea: -$166.2 million (up 24.4%)
The United States of America incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of perfumes. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights America’s strong competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for perfumes-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Companies
Perfumes Exporting Companies
According to Wikipedia, the following suppliers are the 20 biggest companies participating in the cosmetics industry. These firms sell perfumes on international markets.
- Procter & Gamble (United States)
- L’Oréal (France)
- Unilever (United Kingdom)
- Avon (United States)
- Beiersdorf (Germany)
- Estee Lauder (United States)
- Shiseido (Japan)
- Kao (Japan)
- Johnson & Johnson (United States)
- Henkel (Germany)
- LVMH (France)
- Coty (France)
- Chanel (France)
- Limited Brands (United States)
- Mary Kay (United States)
- Yves Roche (France)
- Natur (Brazil)
- Altico (United States)
- Kose (Japan)
- Oriflame (Sweden)
Searchable List of Perfumes Exporting Countries in 2019
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the columns. The right-most column highlights the percentage change in the value of exported perfumes from 2018 to 2019. An entry of 0% in that column means that no 2018 value was available.
| Rank | Exporter | Exported Perfumes (US$) | 2018-9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | France | $5,395,305,000 | +1.7% |
| 2. | Spain | $2,324,880,000 | +8.4% |
| 3. | Germany | $2,238,020,000 | +6.8% |
| 4. | United States | $1,663,487,000 | -6.5% |
| 5. | Italy | $1,328,364,000 | -0.6% |
| 6. | Singapore | $1,089,308,000 | -2.3% |
| 7. | Netherlands | $760,111,000 | -0.9% |
| 8. | United Kingdom | $620,518,000 | -7.5% |
| 9. | Poland | $537,509,000 | -0.7% |
| 10. | Czech Republic | $521,206,000 | +23.4% |
| 11. | Belgium | $480,584,000 | -0.9% |
| 12. | Hong Kong | $281,371,000 | -6.6% |
| 13. | Switzerland | $235,965,000 | -28% |
| 14. | United Arab Emirates | $189,558,000 | -83.5% |
| 15. | China | $179,430,000 | +4.6% |
| 16. | India | $164,639,000 | +14.7% |
| 17. | Mexico | $121,321,000 | -13.4% |
| 18. | Thailand | $113,294,000 | +192.5% |
| 19. | Lithuania | $98,315,000 | +7.2% |
| 20. | Turkey | $93,120,000 | +54% |
| 21. | Austria | $92,395,000 | -3.9% |
| 22. | Colombia | $91,855,000 | +13.6% |
| 23. | Hungary | $77,570,000 | -9.9% |
| 24. | Russia | $68,891,000 | -5.6% |
| 25. | Canada | $50,459,000 | +19.4% |
| 26. | Denmark | $47,838,000 | +48.3% |
| 27. | Israel | $43,951,000 | -27.2% |
| 28. | Croatia | $42,549,000 | +15% |
| 29. | Sweden | $36,343,000 | -30.5% |
| 30. | Australia | $36,090,000 | +8.8% |
| 31. | Guatemala | $35,737,000 | -10.7% |
| 32. | Romania | $34,566,000 | +44.9% |
| 33. | Bulgaria | $29,951,000 | +4.8% |
| 34. | Saudi Arabia | $29,633,000 | -65.4% |
| 35. | Taiwan | $28,759,000 | -15.7% |
| 36. | Greece | $27,026,000 | +32.6% |
| 37. | Portugal | $24,592,000 | -8.5% |
| 38. | Slovakia | $22,107,000 | +0.9% |
| 39. | Panama | $20,211,000 | -12% |
| 40. | Malaysia | $19,918,000 | -14.6% |
| 41. | Estonia | $18,618,000 | +40.8% |
| 42. | South Africa | $17,526,000 | -22.8% |
| 43. | Morocco | $16,816,000 | -8.3% |
| 44. | Bahrain | $15,922,000 | -49.7% |
| 45. | Latvia | $15,404,000 | -51.8% |
| 46. | Slovenia | $15,352,000 | +26.4% |
| 47. | Brazil | $15,139,000 | +40% |
| 48. | Chile | $12,882,000 | +8.2% |
| 49. | South Korea | $12,690,000 | +26.3% |
| 50. | Ireland | $12,441,000 | +5.3% |
| 51. | Indonesia | $11,880,000 | -92.2% |
| 52. | Peru | $11,099,000 | -13.5% |
| 53. | Luxembourg | $10,055,000 | +4.4% |
| 54. | Argentina | $9,123,000 | +6% |
| 55. | Senegal | $7,949,000 | +13% |
| 56. | Japan | $7,222,000 | -18.4% |
| 57. | Oman | $6,969,000 | -70.7% |
| 58. | Georgia | $6,441,000 | +340% |
| 59. | Belarus | $5,555,000 | -75.4% |
| 60. | Cambodia | $5,401,000 | +4,291% |
| 61. | Malta | $5,393,000 | +139.9% |
| 62. | Philippines | $5,372,000 | +74.6% |
| 63. | Serbia | $4,928,000 | +6.8% |
| 64. | Macao | $4,044,000 | 0% |
| 65. | Norway | $3,803,000 | +31.5% |
| 66. | Barbados | $3,453,000 | -54.5% |
| 67. | Kuwait | $2,879,000 | -66.2% |
| 68. | Egypt | $2,707,000 | +802.3% |
| 69. | Sri Lanka | $2,627,000 | -60.2% |
| 70. | Lebanon | $2,210,000 | -95.4% |
| 71. | Finland | $2,101,000 | -21.5% |
| 72. | Vietnam | $2,019,000 | -73.8% |
| 73. | North Macedonia | $1,997,000 | -7.8% |
| 74. | Mauritius | $1,738,000 | -38.4% |
| 75. | Kazakhstan | $1,581,000 | -47.6% |
| 76. | Cyprus | $1,368,000 | +34.6% |
| 77. | Curaçao | $1,119,000 | +141.2% |
| 78. | Aruba | $1,011,000 | -40.7% |
| 79. | Ghana | $921,000 | +3,076% |
| 80. | Ukraine | $877,000 | -97.4% |
| 81. | Namibia | $871,000 | -40.2% |
| 82. | Ecuador | $840,000 | +1% |
| 83. | Pakistan | $816,000 | +38.1% |
| 84. | Costa Rica | $768,000 | +74.5% |
| 85. | Jordan | $690,000 | -89.8% |
| 86. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $685,000 | -65.2% |
| 87. | New Zealand | $604,000 | +148.6% |
| 88. | Tunisia | $599,000 | +31.6% |
| 89. | Nigeria | $532,000 | -29.9% |
| 90. | Azerbaijan | $449,000 | +223% |
| 91. | Ivory Coast | $408,000 | -99% |
| 92. | Qatar | $393,000 | -82.5% |
| 93. | Madagascar | $323,000 | -31.9% |
| 94. | Burkina Faso | $310,000 | -15.8% |
| 95. | US Minor Outlying Is | $296,000 | -32.7% |
| 96. | Andorra | $293,000 | -72.3% |
| 97. | El Salvador | $255,000 | +54.5% |
| 98. | Timor-Leste | $200,000 | 0% |
| 99. | Armenia | $178,000 | +39.1% |
| 100. | British Virgin Islands | $174,000 | +228.3% |
| 101. | Iran | $170,000 | -27% |
| 102. | Zambia | $164,000 | -76.8% |
| 103. | Algeria | $154,000 | -59.2% |
| 104. | Uruguay | $142,000 | +144.8% |
| 105. | Belize | $107,000 | +0.9% |
| 106. | Bangladesh | $95,000 | -66.9% |
| 107. | Uzbekistan | $94,000 | +64.9% |
| 108. | Western Sahara | $87,000 | 0% |
| 109. | St Vincent/Grenadines | $85,000 | +1,317% |
| 110. | Antigua/Barbuda | $82,000 | +30.2% |
| 111. | Kyrgyzstan | $74,000 | +7,300% |
| 112. | Jamaica | $56,000 | -76% |
| 113. | Albania | $49,000 | +1,533% |
| 114. | Ethiopia | $49,000 | -69% |
| 115. | British Indian Ocean Terr | $39,000 | 0% |
| 116. | Kenya | $32,000 | -99.1% |
| 117. | Mozambique | $32,000 | -62.8% |
| 118. | Vanuatu | $25,000 | 0% |
| 119. | Mongolia | $23,000 | +666.7% |
| 120. | Venezuela | $21,000 | +200% |
| 121. | Moldova | $20,000 | -99.6% |
| 122. | Fiji | $20,000 | +53.8% |
| 123. | Zimbabwe | $19,000 | +18.8% |
| 124. | Syrian Arab Republic | $19,000 | -47.2% |
| 125. | Togo | $18,000 | -53.8% |
| 126. | Eswatini | $16,000 | +45.5% |
| 127. | French Polynesia | $14,000 | -50% |
| 128. | Guyana | $13,000 | -96.3% |
| 129. | Mauritania | $11,000 | 0% |
| 130. | Paraguay | $10,000 | +11.1% |
| 131. | Botswana | $10,000 | -92.6% |
| 132. | Suriname | $10,000 | 0% |
| 133. | Trinidad/Tobago | $10,000 | -9.1% |
| 134. | Iraq | $7,000 | -50% |
| 135. | Malawi | $6,000 | 0% |
| 136. | Montenegro | $6,000 | -98.8% |
| 137. | Saint Lucia | $6,000 | 0% |
| 138. | Honduras | $4,000 | -78.9% |
| 139. | Bhutan | $4,000 | -82.6% |
| 140. | Cuba | $4,000 | -96.3% |
| 141. | Falkland Is. (Malvinas) | $3,000 | -76.9% |
| 142. | Cameroon | $2,000 | +100% |
| 143. | Iceland | $2,000 | 0% |
| 144. | Mali | $2,000 | -88.2% |
| 145. | Libya | $2,000 | +100% |
| 146. | Nicaragua | $2,000 | -90.9% |
| 147. | Sudan | $2,000 | 0% |
| 148. | Tokelau | $1,000 | 0% |
| 149. | Lesotho | $1,000 | 0% |
| 150. | Liberia | $1,000 | 0% |
| 151. | Haiti | $1,000 | -80% |
| 152. | Myanmar (Burma) | $1,000 | -99.3% |
| 153. | Brunei Darussalam | $1,000 | -50% |
| 154. | Angola | $1,000 | -99.8% |
| 155. | French S./Antarctic Terr | $1,000 | -98% |
| 156. | Dominican Republic | $1,000 | -99.9% |
See also Ice Cream Exporters by Country, Hearing Aids Importers by Country and Beauty Cosmetics and Skincare Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on May 6, 2020
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 6, 2020
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 9, 2019
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 6, 2020
Wikipedia, Cosmetic industry. Accessed on May 31, 2019
