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Searching for distributors in the Netherlands for electric toothbrushes from the UK

This article is based on impressions gathered during the distributor search process for the British replacement toothbrush head brand MlarCN in the summer of 2019 in the Netherlands.

MlarCN is a British company that has been producing replacement toothbrush heads since 2011. The company sells its products both through an e-commerce website and to retailers and wholesalers across the UK. Approximately 2 million replacement toothbrush heads are sold annually in well-known retail stores in the UK such as Boots, Home Bargains, B&M Bargains, Poundworld, Poundstretcher, and Savers (from AS Watson Group). In the UK, MlarCN’s most popular products, the Oral-B compatible toothbrush heads, are sold at 66% lower than Oral-B’s recommended retail price.

MlarCN, which has proven its quality and reliability domestically, has received an excellent rating of 9.3 out of 10 from over 2,000 customers on Trustpilot.com. The company aims to continue its success in the Netherlands and fill the gap between private labels and the world’s leading global brands.

Market situation for non-food products in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is the seventh-largest economy in Europe and the fifth-largest in the eurozone. The country is known for its stable industrial relations and its reputation as a major transportation hub on the continent. The Netherlands plays a significant role in the global fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) markets and is one of the most competitive markets. This is due to its status as one of the continent’s main logistics and distribution centers. Additionally, the Dutch retail market is one of the fastest-growing internet retail scenes in Europe.

Dutch retail chains are successfully entering neighboring countries, which has led to significant price reductions, particularly in Belgium, where competition was previously weak. One of Belgium’s largest retailers, Delhaize Group, merged with Dutch Albert Heijn.

While many personal care categories are under pressure due to saturation and price, the oral care market in the Netherlands is relatively strong and expected to continue its positive growth in the coming years. Although demand remains stable in basic categories such as toothpaste and manual toothbrushes, the positive growth in the oral care sector is largely driven by increasing societal interest in healthy lifestyles.

Electric toothbrushes and their replacement units in the Netherlands are expected to continue recording stable positive sales growth, both in volume and value, and this is likely to apply to all electric toothbrush categories. The Dutch retail market is one of the fastest-growing e-commerce retail scenes in Europe, which also applies to oral care product sales.

Supermarkets and prices in the Netherlands

Supermarket chains in the Netherlands can be categorized into five groups: Albert Heijn, SuperUnie, and Jumbo, as well as Aldi and Lidl. Other common store chains include Kruidvat, Etos, and DA/DIO, which are the oldest non-food retailers in the Netherlands.

The non-food market in the Netherlands is influenced by the discount retailer Action. Starting with 8 stores in the Netherlands in 1994, Action now has 1,000 stores across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, France, and Poland. Since Action focuses on selling all products at the lowest possible prices, it is seen that other retail chains struggle to keep prices and demands high. Looking at the price levels of different retail chains, it is evident that unit prices vary.

All of these factors present both a risk and an opportunity for MlarCN. If MlarCN can match Action’s targeted price levels, it could achieve significant sales volumes.

The Netherlands as the closest foreign market for the UK

 CuB Consultants assisted MlarCN in initiating its first export by searching for distributor candidates in the Netherlands. We also contacted retailers such as supermarkets, health/beauty stores, discounters, and e-commerce specialists. During meetings at three distributors’ facilities in the Netherlands, the distributors demonstrated serious interest in working together, and plans for the next steps were made.

For more detailed information, please contact us.

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