BEAUTY MARKET GROWS 15.62% in 2012; IMPORTS BEGIN TO WORRY

The industry of beauty and hygiene products was discharged of 15.62% last year, according to Abihpec (Brazilian Association of personal hygiene, perfumery and cosmetics) that will be released next week.
Considering the actual value (discounted the IPCA), the expansion was 10.52%.
"Compared to pibinho, grew almost ten times more," says the President of the entity, João Carlos Basílio.
The industry is in the range increment of 10% for 17 years. Among the factors that contributed to this result are the increase in life expectancy, the expansion of class C, the modernisation of factories and the productivity gains, according to Basil.
Despite the positive numbers, imports begin to worry about the Brazilian market.
In the first two months of this year, landings grew 30.8%, in comparison with the same period in 2012. Exports, on the other hand, registered a fall of 12.4%.
The trade balance deficit accumulated so far is about $ 75 million. Throughout the past year, the number was $ 130 million.
"Consumers are in search of innovation. The Pocket it is behaving higher value-added products and the Brazilian industry is not able to compete with some imported, "said Basilio.
Argentine products, Germans, French and Americans are the competitors.