Superdrug plans marketplace launch with diversity focus

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Mar 29, 2022

Superdrug is to launch an online marketplace for beauty and wellness brands, taking in premium names, as well as start-ups and making every effort to include black and female owned businesses.

Called Superdrug Marketplace, the online platform will feature hundreds of brands — which will include those already popular with the retailer’s customers — and will go live in September as part of the health and beauty specialist’s existing website.

The inclusion of emerging names is particularly interesting with the retailer hoping to be able to offer opportunities for newer businesses that don't currently have the infrastructure to ensure themselves national retail listings. Along with this, it will also make sure that gender-neutral products are included. 

It's certainly a powerful message for the retail giant to put across with a focus on diversity and accessibility for small businesses likely to win it fans among the ever-larger number of consumers who are focused on such things.

Customer, marketing and online director Matt Walburn said: “Superdrug Marketplace will be a vital step for our business as we look to strengthen further our role in health and beauty retail and start to build into new associated categories. We’ve been looking at ways to bring innovative and growing brands into our business more quickly and in the appropriate way to test consumer reaction.

“This is a crucial next step in bolstering our online and offline strategy; marketplace inventory will eventually be available to purchase virtually in-store as well as online. This launch will make a listing with Superdrug now possible for more up-and-coming brands and give our customers a wider range to enjoy, from luxury to trending beauty and wellness hacks.”