Parashop turns to beauty

French self-service drugstore chain Parashop has said it is turning its focus more towards beauty, while remaining firmly anchored in the realm of healthcare. The change will apply particularly to perfumes, but Caroline Puons, the firm’s new Head of Client Marketing, said it is not a case of being selective, but that brands like Berdoues, whose values and history accord with Parashop’s own, will be included.

Puons, who was appointed three months ago and has a background at both Marionnaud and Monoprix, said the Parashop offer will include around 30 exclusive brands, such as Benta Berry and Physician’s Formula, as well as Parashop’s own brands. The stores will also become ‘more theatrical’, based on the firm’s Carré Sénart flagship near Fontainebleu, which includes areas set aside for aromatherapy and phytotherapy.

Qualified pharmacists will still be present in each store, but Parashop will also partner with brands to allow demonstrations at the point of sale. The firm is also putting in place a loyalty programme for its clients, whose average age is 35-45, and plans to have a full e-commerce site up and running by the end of the year.

Parashop was founded in the 1990s and bought by Swiss group Maus Frères in 1995. It now has 69 stores in France and four in Italy.