Retailer defends signing up children without parental consent despite risks

The beauty industry’s courting of children and scrutiny of its expectations to serve these customers responsibly is nothing new. A spokesman for Mecca said it was investing heavily in training in-store staff to help “carefully guide younger customers towards safe, age-appropriate products”.

But there are now questions about whether such attention to child customers increases the psychological appeal of beauty products.

When young clients enter Mecca, staff routinely spend time talking directly to them, not their parents, and teaching them how to apply makeup.

Karen Johnston was surprised when her daughter Billie asked for a gift certificate to Mecca and rival Sephora, as well as a Barbie, for her eighth birthday in October.

But after hearing about her daughter’s experience when she went to spend her gift card, she began to understand why her daughter now wants to work in Mecca when she grows up.

“He went to Mecca with my husband, but… [Billie] It was about enjoying all the attention, being made to feel special like a princess, Johnston said.

‘Psychological addiction’ and ‘TikTok generation’

Founded by Jo Horgan in 1997 with its first store in Melbourne’s South Yarra, Mecca has grown to become the country’s largest cosmetics retailer, with more than 8000 employees and 110 stores in Australia and New Zealand.

These include colorful Maxima stores aimed at younger customers, Cosmetica stores with higher service, and MECCA stores with both offers.

According to IBISWorld analysis, its annual revenue is $1.3 billion and it has a market share of 21.4 percent. This masthead understands that last year, during peak Christmas shopping, Mecca sold $10 million worth of gift cards in one day alone.

Much of its growth was due to the cult-like following it fostered. The Beauty Loop loyalty program is one of Australia’s most popular programs. As of May, there were more than 4.5 million members in Australia and New Zealand. About 11 per cent of Australia’s adult population are members, according to market research firm Honeycomb Strategy.

Adults may be the main game — Mecca said the average age of customers is “well over 30” — but teens are quickly becoming a key demographic for brands. About 5 percent of Mecca’s 4.5 million faithful are under 18 years of age. Honeycomb said Generation Z, ages 13 to 28, makes up 24 percent of all members.

While anyone can join for free, customers start receiving rewards once they reach Beauty Loop’s Tier 1 level (minimum spend of $300 per year). Tier 4 members who spend more than $3,500 per year get extra benefits, including invitations to special events.

Renata Freund, director of Honeycomb, said Mecca’s loyalty plan brings “delight, surprise and over-delivery” and that going to a store to get a free quarterly box of products creates shared rituals that build community, whether through friends or following social media influencers opening those boxes.

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“It creates a rhythm of collective participation that strengthens group belonging,” he said. “This psychological addiction that people get really excited about imprisons them.”

Social connection encourages spending, Freund said. “Buying a Mecca product for a friend benefits her, but it also benefits me because it elevates me to the next level.”

Conversely, linking the brand to social identity risks exclusion for some.

“If all your friends are in the third tier, you don’t want to be in the second tier, you want to spend more so you can share the social elements as well,” Freund said.

“They all go to Mecca to collect the prize boxes, so if you’re not part of that ecosystem, you’re not part of the friendship group.”

‘Skin influencers’, training and gift cards

Delightful aesthetics have traditionally drawn shoppers to cosmetics stores, but with Generation Z and Generation Alpha (the most likely to shop online) the generation that made it through for those born after 2012, retailers are having to adapt.

Most of these are seen on the internet. IBISWorld found that cosmetics retailers are now targeting the “TikTok generation” through social media platforms and online tutorials. Mecca is one of many beauty brands that pay influencers to feature their products in posts. All influencers are over 18 years of age. Customers will also organically post videos unboxing and reviewing Beauty Loop gifts.

Additionally, retailers are investing heavily in their in-store experiences. In August, Mecca opened the world’s largest beauty store in Melbourne, a 4000 square meter showpiece on Bourke Street.

For Johnston’s daughter, Billie, the combination of YouTube makeup tutorials and social harmony, along with an engaging store experience where she was treated like an adult, piqued her interest in Mecca.

Johnston, who lives in Sydney’s West Pennant Hills, said Mecca visits became Billie’s most popular request when her daughter was in second grade. Gift cards to the store had become common gifts at classmates’ birthday parties. Cards are only included in the customer’s Beauty Loop spend when used.

“She wants to wear mascara to school. I thought it was pretty early for her, but all her friends are the same,” Johnston said. “I saw parents putting make-up on their children for school photos and it amazed me.”

For example, her most sought-after items could be found cheaper at pharmacies, but Johnston said Billie preferred to buy them in Mecca. “It wouldn’t create the same excitement as buying from another store.”

Freund believes the in-store experience of treating children like adults is effective.

“Fifteen-year-olds don’t think of themselves as children,” he said. “They don’t want to buy products for tweens, they want products for someone in their 20s,” Freund said.

Damaging ‘perfect skin’

This attitude, combined with so-called “skin influencers” on social media, can have dangerous consequences.

A. study published in the journal Pediatrics As 13-year-old girls in June, they set up new TikTok accounts and analyzed what the algorithm produced. It turns out that TikTok caters to users with young skincare influencers. The 25 most viewed videos contained 21 active ingredients that were potentially irritating to children.

Daisy*, a 14-year-old from inner Sydney, damaged her skin after purchasing a Mecca product designed for older skin that contained alpha hydroxy acid, a harsh chemical exfoliant that can cause irritation and dryness.

“They said it would be good for your skin, but it dried out your skin, it was totally inappropriate,” her mother said. “I took it back to the store and they agreed it shouldn’t have been sold to him.”

Daisy started craving products from Mecca at the age of 11 and soon “became quite addicted”, said her mother, who asked that a pseudonym be used to keep her daughter’s identity confidential.

“It was part of the cultural experience of being a pre-teen,” his mother said.

Daisy attended Mecca’s Beauty Cycle program at the age of 11 and was able to enroll in the program without her mother’s permission. Soon Daisy became a level two member—$140 moisturizers were paving the way for her to spend more than $600 a year—and was determined to reach the $1,200 threshold for level three membership.

“It’s a huge amount of money, but according to him, he’s become quite obsessed with it,” his mother said. “He was even pressuring his grandmother to buy his products.

“I didn’t think you could have more perfect skin than she did when she was 11. I would say the products she used made her look worse.”

Daisy’s interest in Mecca grew even more intense. Months later, the tween stole his parents’ credit card and went on a shopping spree at various stores, including Mecca. Former staff who spoke to this imprint said it was common for child customers to pay using their parents’ credit cards.

The helplessness of children is also on full display in the Mecca Chit Chat Facebook group managed by the company, which has 262,000 members sharing advice and product feedback.

In a recent post, a teenager gives a glowing review of a $782 LED face mask device that promises to fight wrinkles and acne. “Then pay it back, borrow it, bribe your parents, do whatever it takes. You won’t regret it,” he said.

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