The Top 50

Poor Avon. The company has suffered sales declines year after year. In an effort to right the ship, Avon was roundly criticized for practically giving US operations away to Cerberus Private Equity. No, it hasn’t been easy for Avon, nor for other direct sellers in the household and personal products industry. We should know. Our Top 50 is loaded with companies that bypassed traditional retail outlets and sell directly to consumers. Some are doing better than others, but several major players including Amway and Mary Kay had a down year in 2016. Yet, their declines may be short-lived. Euromonitor International recently issued a new study highlighting the healthy growth prospects for direct selling despite the rising popularity and convenience of e-commerce.

According to “Direct Selling and Communities in the Internet Age,” the global direct selling market will grow 11.5% by 2021, driven by, what else, developing regions. The best opportunities for gains are expected to come in the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America, in that order, predicts Euromonitor International. It’s an interesting outlook considering so many pundits have predicted the decline of direct sales, not to mention brick-and-mortar retailers, now that e-commerce has become a way of life for so many consumers.

Yes, the world is changing, but one thing that may never change is Procter & Gamble’s place in our Top 50. Even after the sale of a bevy of beauty brands to Coty, P&G remains solidly on top of our annual look at the biggest US-based companies in the global household and personal products industry. On the pages that follow, you’ll read about activities at P&G, Coty and 48 other companies that make up our Top 50. And to read about Unilever, L’Oréal, Shiseido and other household and personal product companies with headquarters outside the US, be sure to pick up the August issue of Happi which includes The International Top 30.