How L'Oreal plans to turn around its business in India
What's the story
L'Oreal's Global CEO Nicolas Hieronimus has admitted that the company's performance in India is "not meeting expectations." Despite high single-digit growth, the company hasn't gained any market share in 2025. Hieronimus made these comments during a fourth-quarter earnings call. He said that India contributes about 1% to L'Oreal's turnover and needs a lot of financial and human efforts to improve its position.
Future prospects
Hieronimus optimistic about L'Oreal's growth in India
Despite the current challenges, Hieronimus is "optimistic" and "ambitious" about L'Oreal's performance in India by 2026. He said the firm has revised its strategy and is looking for major growth opportunities. The beauty market in India is growing rapidly due to a growing economy, rising disposable income, and an increasing number of millennials.
Team overhaul
New team appointed for Indian market
Last year, L'Oreal appointed a new team with Jacques Lebel as its country manager for India. Hieronimus said the company is not satisfied with its performance in India but is optimistic about better results in 2026. He explained that this lack of satisfaction stems from high single-digit growth without any significant market share gains. "We are setting up a new team, a new organization," he added.
Growth strategy
Strategic plan for India revised
Hieronimus has revised the strategic plan for India, identifying major growth opportunities. He highlighted the potential of L'Oreal Dermatological Beauty (LDB) and its new brands CeraVe and La Roche-Posay. While he acknowledged L'Oreal's strong position in categories like hair care with Garnier as the number one brand, he stressed that "overall, we have to be more ambitious."