Daiso's beauty consumer base, once considered the exclusive domain of women in their 20s and 30s, is expanding to include middle-aged men. Amid persistent high inflation, demand for reasonably priced products is growing, and Daiso is emerging as a new hub for beauty consumption.
Purchases Jump 40% in a Year, Led by Secondary Brands
According to Embrain's purchase deep data (based on estimated purchases) released Friday, estimated purchases of Daiso beauty products over the trailing 12 months (MAT) stood at 361.96 billion won as of March 2026. The figure represents a 39.6% increase from 259.24 billion won in the same period a year earlier.
Growth was driven by secondary brands that cosmetics companies have launched in line with Daiso's uniform pricing policy. Estimated purchases of secondary brands totaled 85.3 billion won, soaring 58.2% from 53.93 billion won a year earlier and outpacing the overall beauty category growth rate.
Price-competitive products backed by trust in established cosmetics brands are seen as contributing to broader consumer inflows.
Male Purchases Soar 113%; 60s Top All Age Groups in Growth
Shifts in the consumer base are also pronounced. On a MAT basis as of March, estimated purchases by women totaled 61.26 billion won, accounting for 71.8% of the total. However, purchases by men also jumped to 24.03 billion won, surging 112.9% from a year earlier in a sharp upward trend.
By age group, consumers in their 20s recorded the largest purchase amount at 21.91 billion won, but in terms of growth rate, those in their 60s posted the highest increase at 114.3% across all age groups. The figures confirm that Daiso beauty consumption is spreading from young women to diverse genders and age groups.
Mobile touchpoints are also expanding. According to Embrain's panel deep data, the Daiso app installation rate stood at 33.4% as of March, up 17.2% from the same period a year earlier.
The app utilization rate also rose 37.1% over the same period, with actual usage frequency increasing. As more consumers visit stores after checking inventory or browsing products on the app, analysts suggest that the Daiso app is evolving beyond a simple shopping tool into a pre-shopping exploration platform.
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