ABSTRACT
Imports play an insignificant role in the bodycare sector because many of the manufacturers of world-famous brands produce in Japan. In the cosmetics sector, in particular, Japanese consumers are very sceptical about low prices. High prices promise high quality. Beiersdorf AG is one of the small number of German consumer goods manufacturers which have been really successful in Japan. Every importer of bodycare products—like every Japanese manufacturer—is required to apply to the Ministry of Health for a licence for all cosmetic products before putting them into circulation. “Corporate business” is an important component in the turnover of some specialist retail shops and department stores. Rotring is a corporate group with worldwide operations. Rotring is looking to boost its sales to industry, in particular, as customers in this area are working very largely with lead-refill instruments. New product concepts and technologies are frequently imitated within a single year, so that new products have to be constantly under development.
