As of January 2026, Sephora remains the world’s dominant selective beauty retailer, operating just under 3,450 stores globally, with its largest footprints in the United States (over 1,780 stores), China (320+), and France (290+). Europe represents around 25% of Sephora stores at around 870 stores.
Sephora has now confirmed its entry into the Belgian market during 2026 following the creation of a Belgian subsidiary in November 2025.
Belgium holds an absolute development potential of 20 to 30 stores for a Sephora, based on comparable European countries. However, the established competitive environment, including Douglas’s 12 stores and Ici Paris XL’s 122, may challenge the realization of this full potential while the entry will definitely test the resilience of those incumbent players.