India recorded double-digit growth in the group's consumer products division business during the September quarter, according to L'Oreal's latest earnings update. The SAPMENA-SSA region, which comprises South Asia Pacific, the Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, posted adjusted like-for-like growth of 19.2 per cent in the third quarter of 2026. India and Indonesia were identified as key drivers of this performance, with the region benefiting from accelerated growth in haircare and skincare segments. As per The Economic Times, Global Chief Executive Officer Nicolas Hieronimus noted that India is "doing a great turnaround" during recent earnings calls, emphasizing improvements in team capabilities and greater focus on developing products tailored to local consumers.
Global Chief Executive Officer Nicolas Hieronimus highlighted India's strong turnaround during recent earnings calls, noting his recent visit to the country. According to reports from The Economic Times, Hieronimus emphasized improvements in team capabilities and greater focus on developing products tailored to local consumers. The company is accelerating its online commerce strategy, particularly in quick commerce, with Hieronimus stating "We are accelerating in commerce, with a focus on quick commerce, which is an important part of the e-commerce market there." The CEO described India as "doing a great turnaround there, both in terms of teams' quality" and noted that "we create for India much more than we did before."
L'Oreal is expanding its presence in the dermatological beauty segment, with CeraVe gaining traction and entering new cities in India. As reported by The Economic Times, Hieronimus described India as "one of the countries where CeraVe is still a baby brand, but growing fast and expanding to new cities." The company has also launched La Roche-Posay, another brand in its dermatological beauty portfolio, in India, positioning it at a relatively higher price point to complement CeraVe in the market. The expansion comes as the French beauty major looks to tap growing consumer interest in skincare and specialised beauty products in India.
To strengthen its local presence, L'Oreal has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Innovist, a digital-first Indian personal care company that owns a portfolio of beauty and personal care brands. According to The Economic Times, this acquisition is expected to support the acceleration of L'Oreal's business in India by strengthening its access to the country's rapidly evolving digital-first beauty market. Additionally, L'Oreal's corporate venture fund BOLD has partnered with Nykaa, India's largest beauty retailer, to take minority stakes in high-growth Indian beauty, personal care and wellness brands. The partnership is aimed at identifying and supporting emerging brands in a market where digital platforms are playing an increasingly important role in consumer discovery and product purchases.
Globally, L'Oreal reported sales of 11.56 billion euros in the third quarter of 2026, representing a 7.2 per cent increase on a like-for-like basis. In the first nine months, sales amounted to 35.33 billion euros. The company's emerging markets delivered spectacular growth, particularly in Brazil and India, in the professional products division, as reported by The Economic Times. L'Oreal's latest investments underline its strategy to deepen its presence in India by combining its global brand portfolio with locally relevant offerings and digital-first distribution channels.
