The demand for fragranced products, spanning perfumes, detergents and related products, is on the up in Southeast Asia, according to a report published by Nikkei Asian Review.

The region currently accounts for just 10 percent of the global flavor and fragrance market (worth US$24.1 billion in 2015, according to a survey conducted by Leffingwell & Associates) but is growing fast, registering a 7 to 8 percent increase every year.  

Rising incomes combined with the humid local climate are pushing demand for products such as laundry detergent, soap and perfume. However, scent preferences differ considerably from western tastes, and within the region itself, and consumers use fragranced products in different ways, employing fabric softener as an air freshener and insect repellent, for example.

Several of the world’s flavors and fragrances giants have invested heavily in the market, with Japan’s Tagasako planning its first factory in Indonesia, and Givaudan poised to open its first perfumery school outside Europe in Singapore.