Based in Boxpark Shoreditch, Superdrug’s concept store, The Little Vegan Pop Up Shop, addresses the growing demand for ethical beauty products.
Vegans now make up seven per cent of the British population (Compare The Market, 2018), and this is only increasing as people rethink traditional lifestyle choices. The demand for vegan makeup is on the rise as well, due to a surprising number of animal by-products in cosmetics.
Big-name brands like Nars and Too Faced are responding to this increased interest in vegan beauty, and Superdrug itself stocks over 1000 vegan-friendly own-brand products. Following the success of its 100 per cent vegan and cruelty-free ‘B.’ range, Superdrug decided to create a stand-alone vegan beauty concept, and The Little Vegan Pop Up Shop was born. Since its March debut, the pop-up gained a loyal base of return customers, alongside a steady stream of browsing tourists and curious professionals nearby.
The concept store offers a wide range of colourful eyeshadows, lipsticks and more, all of which are vegan guaranteed. The most popular products, often going out of stock as soon as they hit the shelves, are value for money mascaras, foundations and eyebrow kits, a more affordable version of those offered by higher-end vegan makeup companies like Tarte.
Service is at the heart of this experience, from the store assistants who are clearly passionate about ethical make up, inviting customers to touch, test, and learn to the personalised product recommendations with guaranteed free exchange or return.
As for the future of this concept store, it will be open until at least September 2018. If financially successful Superdrug may renew their Boxpark lease to become a stable feature of Shoreditch. The pop-up’s current popularity indicates that the concept would enjoy success if made permanent and given room to grow alongside the demand for vegan products. Whilst it remains in Boxpark, the store maintains friendly relationships with a number of local vloggers and beauticians, some of whom are set to come to the store and give promotional makeup tutorials and makeovers in the coming weeks.
