A single apple for £200 at The Ordinary’s pop-up? The meaning behind it really hits home
Are you buying skincare or just the packaging?
The Ordinary recently opened Markup Marché pop-ups in London, Paris, Toronto, and other cities, selling everyday fruit for as much as £200 to satirize the beauty industry’s excessive packaging. Through this conceptual exhibition, the brand reiterates its original commitment to transparent pricing and affordable skincare, reminding women that the ingredients themselves are what are truly worth paying for.
- Related reading: Hailed as an SK-II-level alternative! The Ordinary’s “little milky bottle” is generating major buzz on social media
The message behind the Markup Marché pop-up
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Since May 2026, The Ordinary has opened conceptual pop-ups called Markup Marché in Paris, Toronto, Melbourne, São Paulo, Mexico City, London, and other cities. Yet instead of the serums shoppers might expect, the shelves are stocked with everyday apples and oranges. Interestingly, these ordinary fruits are given elaborate names such as “herbal revitalizing active complex” and “radiance-brightening capsules,” then priced at an astonishing £200 or more. This is in fact a carefully staged work of satire that pinpoints a long-standing problem in the beauty market.
When you buy skincare, are you paying for the ingredients or the packaging?
Amy Bi, global vice president of brand at DECIEM, shared the thinking behind this unconventional idea. Imagine an ordinary avocado sold for more than 10 times its usual price simply because it came in a beautiful box with a fancy name. You would never accept that. Yet why do we readily pay for it when the same thing happens with the skincare we apply every day? So many products on the market contain hyaluronic acid, a core ingredient that has been widely used for decades, yet celebrity endorsements, exaggerated marketing claims, and luxurious bottle designs drive their prices to unattainable heights.
The Ordinary’s commitment to transparent pricing
This imbalance of information is precisely why The Ordinary was created. The brand has always sought to strip away this filter and bring skincare back to its most basic purpose. From essential moisturizing ingredients to advanced acid serums, it uses minimalist packaging and passes the savings directly on through accessible prices. Its popular products, for example, are mostly priced between HK$ 80/NT$ 320 and HK$ 200/NT$ 800, allowing everyone to enjoy effective skincare without financial strain. This pop-up is more than an exhibition; it is also a thoughtful reminder from the brand, encouraging consumers to understand the true value of the ingredients.
Having followed the beauty market for so long, we’ve found that excessive packaging and marketing markups have long been the norm. Sometimes, expensive skincare bought with a hefty budget delivers less noticeable results than a basic serum with straightforward ingredients and an honest price. The Ordinary’s approach is quite smart: rather than targeting anyone in particular, it uses a humorous, slightly satirical everyday scenario to hit on a pain point for many women. The next time you’re choosing skincare for the changing seasons, perhaps take a closer look at the ingredient list and pay a little less attention to flashy marketing claims, so you can spend your valuable budget on what truly benefits your skin.
Beyond this article, here are some recent stories worth checking out:
- Esports fans won’t be able to sit still: Faker leads T1’s official pop-up store to Hong Kong with 5 highlights you can’t miss
- Red Velvet Seulgi’s favorite is finally in Taiwan: Korean girls’ beloved brand MARIE CLAIRE opens its first pop-up in Taichung!
- A warm get-together in his birthday month! G-DRAGON limited-time pop-up lands in Hong Kong with exclusive mint-colored merch
