The DOUGLAS Group, Europe's leading omnichannel premium beauty destination, announced on June 18, 2026, that it is adjusting its guidance for the financial year 2025/26 based on Q3 business performance that fell short of expectations. The company cited significant pressure on customer confidence and willingness to buy due to ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties and price sensitivity. In response, the group is reallocating investments from its store network to its online business, sharpening differentiation and exclusivity, enhancing pricing strategies, and accelerating digitalization.
CEO Sander van der Laan stated: “Consumer behavior and market dynamics have changed significantly. In this challenging environment, we fully focus on our strategic priorities: we shift investments from our store to our online business; we are investing in competitive pricing, while further strengthening our differentiation and exclusivity; and we are continuing to drive digitalization forward. Some of these measures will deliver short-term benefits, while others will take longer to materialize. We act swiftly, with focus and purpose – we are guided by a sustainable medium- to long-term approach.”
The revised guidance for FY 2025/26 now forecasts net sales growth of 0-1%, corresponding to a range of 4.58-4.63 billion euros, down from the previous expectation of “at the lower end of 4.65-4.80 billion euros.” The adjusted EBITDA margin is now expected to be around 15.0%, compared to the prior guidance of around 16.0%. Additionally, net leverage is estimated at 3.0x to 3.5x as of September 30, 2026, versus the earlier target of “at the upper end of 2.5x to 3.0x.”
The shift in consumer behavior is driven by ongoing geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty, leading to price-sensitive customers who often delay purchases in anticipation of promotions. The European premium beauty market continues to see e-commerce growing faster than stores, with solid profitability at the EBIT level, while like-for-like store sales are negative. Channel mix, category mix, and overall spending patterns vary across markets, but cross-channel services such as Click-and-Collect are performing very strongly.
Despite the challenges, the DOUGLAS Group remains well-positioned thanks to its leading omnichannel business model, strong brand, and trusted partnerships with premium beauty suppliers. The company has already addressed many of today's challenges through its transformation into a true omnichannel retailer in recent years. Van der Laan emphasized: “In the current market environment, both differentiation and pricing matter more than ever. Our omnichannel model, our curated premium assortment, an attractive pricing and our excellent brand name give us a clear competitive edge and we are executing on this with focus and discipline.”
The company plans to provide further details and an update on strategic measures at its quarterly reporting on August 12, 2026. For more information, visit the DOUGLAS Group Website. The original press release is available on NewMediaWire.
