Ding, dong: Edinburgh proves Avon hotspot as beauty rep numbers soar amid lockdown

Iconic beauty products firm Avon has enjoyed a surge in interest amid lockdown with Edinburgh proving a hotspot for new reps.

Iconic beauty company Avon, which can trace its roots back more than a century and has five million reps globally, enables people to sell products directly to friends, family and neighbours.

The company has reported a 30 per cent increase in representative sign ups in the UK as people eye new income streams amid the jobs shake-up triggered by the coronavirus crisis.

Some areas of Scotland have seen the greatest increase in rep numbers over the past 12 months with the capital towards the top of the tree.

The firm has described Edinburgh as an “Avon powerhouse” following a 78 per cent leap in the number of new reps signing up. Among the other growth hotspots, East Lothian has seen a 63 per cent rise while Fife was up 53 per cent.

The beauty company, which can trace its roots back more than a century and has five million reps globally, enables women and men to sell products directly to friends, family and neighbours.

The firm said it had transformed its selling networks to enable reps to use their social networks and digital tools for selling. This has led to a 155 per cent increase in online sales over the past 12 months.

Chief executive Angela Cretu said: “The economic effects of the pandemic continue to impact communities across the country.

“Unemployment continues to rise, many households are on reduced incomes, and thousands of parents are trying to balance childcare or schooling at home with their own work commitments. We know that women are disproportionately bearing the brunt of these impacts, and as a result we’ve seen a surge of new rep signs ups as women look for new, more flexible, ways to earn.

“Over the past 12 months we’ve reduced the threshold to earn, helped our Avon reps embrace new online opportunities, supported them with video workshops and tips and insights on making the most of social media to connect with customers.”

In addition to its reps the beauty firm has “sales leaders”, whose sole income is from their Avon business. While working as reps themselves, they are also able to recruit, train and support a team of representatives.

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