L'Oreal enters mass shampoo segment

L'Oreal Group, the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company, on Friday said it plans to beef up its presence in the over 30-billion yuan Chinese mass shampoo market and pose a stiff challenge to market leader Procter & Gamble (P&G).

L'Oreal, known for its hair care products, was until now present in the high-end shampoo segment. The change in focus, primarily stems from the vast size of the low-end segment in China and the fast pick up in domestic consumption due to the recent government stimulus measures.

"The move will enhance our presence in the mass shampoo market," said Paolo Gasparrini, president, L'Oreal China.