STORIES

Sustainability is no longer a trend, but a core responsibility that companies must take seriously. We are leading the way with innovative solutions that not only reduce our environmental footprint but also bring economic benefits. Just recently, we introduced Green Lease agreements with our major real estate partners to this end.

If you look up the word 'perfume' in the dictionary, you will find the definition 'a substance which emits a pleasant smell when burden.' At the DOUGLAS Group, Europe's leading omnichannel provider of premium beauty, we know that there is a whole world of emotions and personality expression behind it. An individually chosen fragrance has the power to influence mood and identity. Current purchasing decisions in the dynamic beauty category are shaped by a variety of trends that go far beyond the pure scent.

Over the past 200 years, many courageous women have driven the continuous growth of DOUGLAS with their passion and innovative spirit. Among them are visionaries such as the Carstens sisters, whose drive and entrepreneurial spirit set the tone for our company and continue to shape it to this day. On the occasion of Women's History Month, we look back and remember their achievements.

This year, we are celebrating a quarter of a century of e-commerce: 25 years ago, we launched our online shop in Germany, which today invites and inspires countless beauty enthusiasts to shop. What was considered a bold move at the time is now an integral part of our omnichannel success. That's why we're taking a look back at how we grew from a small online shop to a leading beauty platform with more than 150,000 products in 22 countries.

As Europe's leading omnichannel beauty retailer, we are well aware of the impact we have on our customers and the environment and want to drive positive change within the beauty industry. With our Corporate Brands Packaging Policy, we are setting strict standards for regulatory compliance, technical precision, and environmental stewardship.

As Europe's leading omnichannel destination for premium beauty we take our responsibility towards our colleagues, customers, suppliers and the world we live in seriously. We want to be a role model in sustainability in the beauty retail sector with our four strong brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Niche Beauty and parfumdreams. And we can be measured against this standard throughout Europe, as an example from France shows.

In the world of beauty, sensory experiences play a crucial role. At DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s leading omnichannel destination for premium beauty, we understand that purchasing beauty products is an emotional process. Colors, scents, textures, and skin feel are the key elements that transform a product into an unforgettable experience for our customers.

At DOUGLAS DACH, we have switched from our iconic mint-colored B2C delivery boxes to natural brown packaging – and thus to a much more sustainable solution. Find out more about our green logistics initiative in the story.

The festive season is a special time when we carefully search for the perfect gifts for our loved ones. As Europe's leading omnichannel premium beauty destination, DOUGLAS understands the importance of creating an exceptional shopping experience during christmas season. But how do we, as a retailer, delight our customers with not only a diverse product assortment, but also an unparalleled shopping experience? A part of the answer lies in brand partnerships.

The Christmas season is not only a time for loving your nearest and dearest, but also a time for gifting. The heart-warming feeling when we bring joy to our loved ones, the sparkle in their eyes, the genuine smile, create a sense of connection and community - which scientist refer to as “warm glow” is exactly what Christmas is all about.

For the second year in a row, the DOUGLAS Group has conducted the Great Place to Work® employee survey. This comprehensive survey is designed to measure employee satisfaction and identify areas for improvement within the organization. We take pride in our predominantly positive results, officially recognizing us as a Great Place To Work® and demonstrate how well our purpose “Make Life More Beautiful” is embraced by every employee within the company. In this interview, Mareike Mende-Ratnam, Group CHRO, discusses the importance of employee satisfaction and the key takeaways the HR team has derived from the survey to further enhance our positive work environment.

In recent years, the nostalgic revival of the 1990s has captivated consumers across the globe, driving significant trends in fashion, entertainment, and even personal care. As the leading omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe, we recognize the profound impact this nostalgia trend has on consumer behavior and brand management. By leveraging our omnichannel model, we can effectively respond to these cultural currents and provide our customers with innovative and memorable experiences.

As we navigate through an era of rapid technological advancement and societal change, understanding future trends becomes more crucial than ever. At DOUGLAS, we are committed to staying at the forefront of innovation and adapting to the evolving landscape of beauty and retail industry. To gain deeper insights into the transformative 'MegaTrends' shaping our future, we had the privilege of speaking with renowned futurist Mathias Haas.

Did you know that Niche Beauty has been part of the DOUGLAS Group since 2019? Our luxury subsidiary is fully dedicated to offering the most exciting and exquisite beauty brands in the world through its online shop. In the carefully curated selection, customers can find unique premium and niche products that are often only known to insiders. In this interview, Steven Mattwig, CEO Niche Beauty & parfumdreams, and Anne Zimmermann, Managing Director Niche Beauty, are giving insights into how they turned Niche Beauty into a love brand.

Our commitment to a sustainable development reached a new peak as four young talents from the DOUGLAS Group presented their sustainable and innovative idea at the United Nations Leaders Summit in New York. This pitch marked the highlight of the SDG Innovator Accelerator Program, showcasing our sustainability efforts on a global stage.

Did you know that we are not only a premium beauty retailer but also a media powerhouse? With our own Retail Media unit, we are at the forefront of the current digital advertising revolution. In this interview, Jessica Wegner, Senior Vice President Retail Media at the DOUGLAS Group, gives insights into our innovative Retail Media business.

We are redefining beauty with our deep commitment to sustainability. Discover how our updated strategy focuses on People, Planet, and Products, and watch our strategy video for an inside look at our vision for a greener future.

With the introduction of the Samsung XCover Pro smartphones as an all-in-one device for our Beauty-Advisors, we are enabling our store employees to handle numerous processes directly from the sales floor. Our customers also benefit from this: Queuing is a thing of the past, as checkout is possible directly from any location in our stores and during the consultation.

It is our purpose to make life more beautiful and encourage our customers to express their individual beauty. That’s why our assortment is characterized by variety and choice – including also a comprehensive range of products and brands developed at and exclusively available at the DOUGLAS Group. We have talked to our CEO Corporate Brands, Susanne Cornelius, about what’s behind our own brands strategy.

In July, we celebrated another huge milestone in our store network development initiative: The grand reopening of our "House of Beauty" in Vienna. Let's take a look back at the event!

How sustainable is the shower gel I use every day? Does the new skin care with its natural ingredients deliver what it promises? As a member of the EcoBeautyScore Consortium, the DOUGLAS Group is involved in the development of a standardized product label for evaluating the environmental impact of cosmetic products. The global initiative aims to provide consumers with better guidance.

The DOUGLAS Group has ambitious plans for its store network. Our SVP Group Controlling & Real Estate Marcel Uphues explains why our stores are increasingly becoming a point of experience – and what’s behind our store network strategy.

In this interview, our CCO Philipp Andrée gives insights into our omnichannel business model and explains its meaning and relevance for us as premium beauty retailer.

DOUGLAS is THE synonym for premium beauty across Europe. To create such a strong brand needs a clear vision and powerful marketing approach. Let’s take a look behind the scenes of our Group Marketing department – the place where our retail brand DOUGLAS is developed, shaped, and constantly modernized.

In this interview, DOUGLAS Group CEO Sander van der Laan explains the importance of sustainability at DOUGLAS and the strategy we are pursuing. He also outlines progress and our groupwide ambitions.

We have entered 2024 with our updated DOUGLAS Group purpose: Make Life More Beautiful. In this interview, CHRO Mareike Mende-Ratnam gives an insight into the process and explains what’s behind our purpose and values.

Sharing similar experiences, networking and jointly driving forward issues within the company - that's what employee networks are all about. Outside of their day-to-day work, several of our DOUGLAS Group colleagues from different departments are committed to promoting important matters at our company - and thus fostering diversity.