Distribution · India and China
Two of the world’s biggest beauty markets. One partner to get you there.
India and China both have a real appetite for European skincare, and both have their own rules for imported cosmetics. KOD leads the project and stays your single point of contact, working with partners on the ground for registration, import, stock and sales.
India · with our partner on the ground
Made in Europe. Loved in India.
India is one of the fastest-growing beauty markets in the world, and European skincare has a real following there. Together with our partner in India we handle registration, import, stock and sales, online and offline, so you can enter without setting up an Indian company.
Registration
CDSCO import registration
Import
Customs clearance in India
Stock
Partner warehouse in India
Online
Nykaa · Amazon.in · Flipkart
Offline
Retail · salons · clinics
One contract with KOD, a team on the ground in India.
Your India route
Market check
Demand, price points and competitors, and whether anyone already sells your brand in India.
Registration
CDSCO import registration, Indian labels and a trademark filing in India.
Import and stock
Freight from Europe, customs clearance and storage at our partner in India.
Launch and scale
Nykaa, Amazon.in, Flipkart and quick commerce, plus retail, salons and clinics.
Market size by 2030
$40 billion
Global ranking by 2030
4th largest beauty market
Import tariff on EU cosmetics
22% today, mostly removed under the EU–India trade agreement once in force
KOD
1 contract for registration, import, sales and protection
Sources: Redseer Strategy, India beauty and personal care outlook 2030; EU–India trade agreement, concluded January 2026.
Where your brand sells in India
Online, in stores and in clinics.
Indian shoppers discover beauty online and buy it everywhere. We plan the channel mix with you, so your brand is visible in the right places at a price that holds.
Beauty marketplaces
Nykaa, Tira and Purplle
Where Indian shoppers go for skincare and make-up.
General marketplaces
Amazon.in, Flipkart and Myntra
For reach across the whole country.
Quick commerce
Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy Instamart
Delivery apps where beauty is a fast-growing category.
Retail
Beauty stores and pharmacies
Through our partner’s retail network.
Professional
Salons and clinics
Professional and dermatology channels for brands with an expert story.
Always included
Control of your brand
Stock held and shipped inside India, one official offer per channel, brand monitoring and monthly reporting on sell-out, stock and prices.
Regulation in India
What India asks of a European brand.
Imported cosmetics in India fall under the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, supervised by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). An EU-compliant product usually needs an import registration and an Indian label before it can be sold.
Import registration
Every imported cosmetic needs a CDSCO import registration certificate. Our partner applies as your authorised agent in India, based on your authorisation as the manufacturer.
Indian label
The pack shows the registration number, the importer’s name and address, the maximum retail price (MRP) and consumer care details.
No animal testing
Cosmetics tested on animals after November 2014 may not be imported into India.
Ingredients and claims
Indian standards restrict some ingredients and colours, and products with drug-like claims follow a different route.
Import duty
Today’s duties apply until the EU–India trade agreement enters into force. After that, most tariffs on EU cosmetics are phased out over five to seven years.
Your partner: KOD
You agree terms with KOD. We lead the India project and manage our partner for you, with the same standards we use in Europe and the US.
- Market entry plan and channel strategy
- Pricing and MRP set together with you
- Listings and content for every channel
- Brand monitoring and monthly reporting
On the ground: our partner in India
An established team in India that already places European brands in the market. They carry the local operation under KOD’s lead.
- Import registration and customs clearance
- Warehousing and delivery across India
- Marketplace and quick commerce operations
- Sales team for retail, salons and clinics
Do we need an Indian company?
No. Our partner in India acts as importer and holds the import registration for your products as your authorised agent. You work with KOD.
Who holds the CDSCO registration?
The registration certificate is issued to the Indian importer or authorised agent, based on your authorisation as the manufacturer. We agree up front, in writing, what happens to it if the partnership ever ends.
Does the EU–India trade agreement lower our costs?
Negotiations were concluded in January 2026. Once the agreement is signed and ratified, most of the current tariff on EU cosmetics is removed over five to seven years. Until then we plan your prices with today’s duties.
How do you keep our prices consistent?
Every pack sold in India carries a maximum retail price (MRP). It sets the ceiling, not the floor, so we also watch the marketplaces for other sellers of your brand and act on infringing offers.
Can we keep our EU packaging?
Often yes, with an Indian label added for the registration number, importer details and MRP. Some products need changes when an ingredient or claim is not allowed in India.
China · two routes into the market
Start cross-border. Scale when the data says so.
Chinese shoppers buy European skincare in large volumes, and there are two ways to reach them. Cross-border e-commerce lets you test the market without registering your products in China. General trade puts your brand on Chinese shelves and platforms, after registration. KOD plans the route with you and works with specialist partners in China for the platforms, the import and the paperwork.
Cross-border platforms
Tmall Global · JD Worldwide · Douyin · Xiaohongshu
Registration
Not needed for cross-border; NMPA filing or registration for general trade
Animal testing
Not required for cross-border; exemption possible for general cosmetics in general trade
Stock
Bonded warehouse in China or direct shipping from Europe
One contract with KOD for the whole China project.
Fastest start
Cross-border e-commerce
Your products are sold to Chinese consumers through cross-border platforms and treated as personal imports. That means no NMPA registration or filing, no animal testing, and in most cases your existing EU packaging, with Chinese product information on the platform.
- Flagship or partner store on Tmall Global, JD Worldwide or Douyin
- Stock in a bonded warehouse in China or shipped from Europe
- Consumers buy within personal annual purchase limits
- The best way to measure demand before you invest
For scale
General trade
Your products are imported in volume and sold through Chinese platforms, retailers and distributors. This route needs NMPA filing for general cosmetics or registration for special cosmetics, a domestic responsible person and Chinese labels.
- Access to Tmall, JD, Douyin and offline retail
- NMPA filing or registration through a domestic responsible person
- Since May 2021, imported general cosmetics can be exempt from animal testing with a GMP certificate and a safety assessment
- Chinese label, importer details and customs clearance
Your China route
Market check
Demand for your category, price points and who already sells your brand in China, including daigou and grey imports.
Choose the route
Cross-border first in most cases, general trade for products with proven demand.
Store and stock
Platform store, product content in Chinese and stock in a bonded warehouse or shipped from Europe.
Launch and grow
Platform campaigns, creators on Douyin and Xiaohongshu, and monthly reporting on sales and prices.
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Requirements depend on the product, its claims and the route. Every China project is checked with specialists before launch.
Do we need a Chinese company?
Not for cross-border e-commerce: the store runs through the platform’s cross-border programme with an operating partner. For general trade a domestic responsible person and an importer in China are needed, which we arrange through our partners.
Do our products have to be tested on animals?
Not when they are sold through cross-border e-commerce. In general trade, imported general cosmetics can be exempt since May 2021, provided the manufacturer has a government-issued GMP certificate and a safety assessment. Special cosmetics follow stricter rules.
Which route should we start with?
For most European beauty brands, cross-border e-commerce. It is faster, needs no product registration and shows which products sell before you commit to general trade.
How do you protect our brand in China?
A Chinese trademark filing comes first, because China is a first-to-file country. We also monitor the platforms for other sellers of your brand and act on infringing offers.
Two ways to work together
Distribution partner, or managed service.
Preferred
Distribution partnership
KOD buys your products and sells them as your official seller. You work with one partner; we carry the stock, the listings and the protection.
- We buy the stock and earn our margin on sales
- One official seller per marketplace
- Brand protection included
- Warehousing and fulfilment from the Netherlands
For brands that sell themselves
Managed marketplace service
You stay the seller of record and own the account. We set up and run it for a monthly fee, from listings and compliance files to advertising and reporting.
- Account set-up and Brand Registry
- Listings and content in every language
- Advertising and review programmes
- Monthly reporting on sales and spend
Not sure which fits? How we work
Free brand check
Who is selling your brand right now?
We review your brand on Amazon in Europe and the US, bol, Kaufland, Galaxus and TikTok Shop and send you a clear report: who sells your products, which listings look suspicious, where prices drift and what to fix first. Free and without obligation.
- Every seller active on your listings, per marketplace
- Listings that look counterfeit, altered or misleading
- Price levels compared across countries and channels
- Brand Registry and trademark status
- Three concrete actions you can take this month
Start with a conversation
Your brand deserves one trusted seller.
Tell us where your brand is sold today. In one 30-minute call we show you what we see on the marketplaces and how we would protect and grow your brand.
