The market size for halal personal care products in the Middle East is estimated to be worth approximately Dh2.06 billion ($560 million) annually, according to a recent survey.

The UAE alone counts for about Dh551 million ($150 million) annual market for halal cosmetic and personal care products, the survey said.

“While the hospitality, food, packaging, banking and finance industries are already devoting a lot of attention to the development and delivery of halal or Sharia-compliant products and services, the demand for halal cosmetics and beauty products has been relatively slower to take off,” said Ahmed Pauwels, chief executive officer of Epoc Messe Frankfurt, organisers of Beauty-world Middle East 2010, the largest networking platform for the beauty and wellness industry in the region.

“But this trend is rapidly changing, with growing consumer awareness and the drive for quality ingredients, making the market for halal and Sharia-compliant personal care products a high-growth segment with tremendous potential,” he added. 

Exhibitors from across the world will be displaying a range of halal and Sharia-compliant cosmetics and beauty products at Beautyworld Middle East 2010, which will take place from June 1 to 3 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Among those exhibiting halal compliant products at Beautyworld Middle East 2010 is OnePure Halal Beauty, a skincare range created specifically from 100 per cent halal tested ingredients, founded by Layla Mandi.

Mandi will also give a presentation on halal beauty products as part of Nail It! By OPI – a series of seminars and workshops being held at the event.

“I created the OnePure Beauty range when I realised that most skincare lines contained haram ingredients,” said Ms Layla Mandi. “I wanted to be able to care for my skin and wanted to observe my religious responsibilities.”

Elaine O’Connell, senior show manager, Beautyworld Middle East said: “Consumers in Asia, especially Malaysia and Indonesia have been the first in driving demand for Sharia-compliant health and beauty products, with Malaysia last year drafting a halal certification standard that evaluates the content, modes of production, storage, handling and packaging for cosmetics and beauty products.”

“Customers in the prosperous and high-growth markets of the Middle East are becoming increasingly selective of the quality and content of the products they use, and this is reflected in the surge in demand for halal-certified beauty products.”

Responding to the latent demand, local health and standardisation authorities in the GCC are increasingly working with recognised international halal certification authorities, to screen health and beauty products for their compliance with Islamic principles, a statement said.

The development of a global standard for halal cosmetics is currently underway.  International Halal Integrity Alliance (IHI Alliance) is working on the standard which is set for publication this summer and should help to drive sales of cosmetics among Muslim consumers.  

Beautyworld Middle East will feature natural and organic cosmetics, beauty products, wellness and spa treatments and haircare products and services from over 700 exhibitors from 44 countries.

In excess of 15,000 trade visitors, buyers and industry professionals from over 90 countries are expected to attend, the statement added. – TradeArabia News Service