Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Market continues to grow slowly
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of soap, bath, and shower products, at current prices, 2012-22
- The issues
- Liquid options cannibalize bar soap sales
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- Figure 2: Total US retail sales of soap, bath, and shower products, by select segments, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
- Hand sanitizers see largest sales drop
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- Figure 3: Multi-outlet sales of hand sanitizers, by select leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Older men express below-average interest in anything beyond the basics
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- Figure 4: Interest in select product innovations, by age and gender, November 2017
- The opportunities
- Therapeutic and wellbeing benefits may increase bath product usage
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- Figure 5: Usage frequency of bath products, November 2017
- Smelling good is key for men
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- Figure 6: Interest in deodorizing and long-last scent benefits, by gender, November 2017
- Innovations focused on convenience and personalization have potential
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- Figure 7: Interest in in-shower moisturizers and personalized products, by gender, November 2017
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Slow, yet steady growth expected to continue
- Body wash and bath products grow, while bar soap and hand sanitizer decline
- The need to destress may lead to more baths
- Population and economic trends encourage market; family declines temper growth
Market Size and Forecast
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- Slow, yet steady growth expected to continue
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- Figure 8: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of soap, bath, and shower products, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 9: Total US sales and forecast of soap bath and shower products, at current prices, 2012-22
Market Breakdown
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- Liquid body wash accounts for nearly half of category sales
- Struggling sales for bar soap and hand sanitizers
- Bath products segment is a small, yet strong player
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- Figure 10: Share of soap, bath, and shower products sales, by segment, 2017 (est)
- Other retailers continue to dominate the market
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- Figure 11: Total US retail sales of soap, bath, and shower products, by channel, at current prices, 2012-17
Market Perspective
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- The need to destress may lead to more baths
Market Factors
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- Growing female population is encouraging for market
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- Figure 12: Female population by age, 2013-23
- Positive economic indicators could boost sales for premium brands
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- Figure 13: Consumer Sentiment Index, January 2007-December 2017
- Decline in households with children may lead to market struggles
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- Figure 14: Households, by presence of own children, 2007-17
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Mixed results for leading category players
- Natural and environmentally-friendly brands experience gains
- Scent-related benefits and flagship brands reach men
- Bath products capitalize on therapeutic and wellbeing attributes
- Hand sanitizers see largest sales drop
- Adults trade in bar soap for liquid options
- Bath product formats inspire shower product launches
- Personalized products are trending
Company and Brand Sales of Soap, Bath, and Shower Products
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- PDC Brands experience strongest gains
- Struggling segments lead to declines for Colgate-Palmolive
- Manufacturer sales of soap, bath, and shower products
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- Figure 15: MULO sales of soap, bath, and shower products, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
What’s Working?
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- Natural and environmentally-friendly brands experience gains
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- Figure 16: MULO sales of Dr. Bronner’s bar soap, Method liquid body wash, Shea Moisture liquid body wash and Me! Bath bath products, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Scent-related benefits and flagship brands reach men
- Bath products capitalize on therapeutic and wellbeing attributes
What’s Struggling?
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- Hand sanitizers see sales drop
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- Figure 17: Multi-outlet sales of hand sanitizers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Adults trade in bar soap for liquid options
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- Figure 18: MULO sales of select Dove products, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
What’s Next?
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- Bath product formats inspire shower product launches
- Personalized products are trending
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Use of bar soap declines, while use of liquid body wash rises
- Adults prefer to shower, resulting in low bath product usage
- Liquid hand soap is an essential, hand sanitizers are used occasionally
- Added benefits are nearly as important as functional benefits
- Adults tend to stick to products they know
- Shoppers seek familiar ingredients
- Innovations focused on convenience and personalization are key
- Attitudes vary, but some care about sustainability
Body Cleansing Product Usage and Frequency
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- Bar soap usage declines, while use of liquid body wash rises
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- Figure 19: Percentage of households using bar soap and body wash, April 2012-May 2017
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- Figure 20: Usage of bar soap and shower products, November 2017
- Liquid body wash and bar soap are hygiene staples
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- Figure 21: Usage frequency of bar soap and shower products, November 2017
- Women, young adults drive usage of body wash
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- Figure 22: Usage of bar soap and body wash, by gender and age, November 2017
- Hispanic adults use more than just the essentials
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- Figure 23: Usage of body scrubs and in-shower moisturizer, by Hispanic origin, November 2017
Bath Product Usage and Frequency
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- Adults prefer to shower, resulting in low bath product usage
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- Figure 24: Usage of bath products, November 2017
- Most adults report occasional usage of bath products
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- Figure 25: Usage frequency of bath products, November 2017
- Bath product usage driven by younger women
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- Figure 26: Usage of bath products, by gender and age, November 2017
Hand Cleansing Product Usage and Frequency
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- Liquid hand soap is an essential; hand sanitizers used occasionally
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- Figure 27: Usage of hand cleansing products, November 2017
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- Figure 28: Usage frequency of hand cleansing products, November 2017
- Age and parental status drive hand sanitizer usage
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- Figure 29: Usage of liquid hand soap and hand sanitizer, by age and parental status, November 2017
- Hispanics are above-average users of hand sanitizers
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- Figure 30: Usage of liquid hand soap and hand sanitizer, by Hispanic origin, November 2017
Product Benefits
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- Added benefits are nearly as important as functional benefits
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- Figure 31: Benefits sought in soap, bath and shower products, November 2017
- Deodorizing and intensive moisture are essential
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- Figure 32: TURF analysis – Product benefits, November 2017
- Methodology
- Women seek many benefits, while men just want to smell good
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- Figure 33: Importance of select product benefits, by gender, November 2017
- The impact of added benefits declines with age
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- Figure 34: Importance of select product benefits, by age, November 2017
- Black and Hispanic adults associate scent with cleanliness
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- Figure 35: Importance of deodorizing and long-lasting scent, by race and Hispanic origin, November 2017
Shopping Behaviors
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- Adults tend to stick to products they know
- Ethical claims appeal to niche set of shoppers
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- Figure 36: Shopping behaviors, November 2017
- Women explore product options, men stick with what they know
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- Figure 37: Shopping behaviors, by gender, November 2017
- Young adults explore options and invest time in selection process
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- Figure 38: Select shopping behaviors, by age, November 2017
- Hispanics and young adults have similar shopping behaviors
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- Figure 39: Select shopping behaviors, by Hispanic origin, November 2017
Awareness of Ingredients
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- Adults seek familiar ingredients
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- Figure 40: Ingredient awareness, November 2017
- Parents and Black adults seek familiar ingredients
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- Figure 41: Have heard of and look for select ingredients, by parental status and Black race, November 2017
Product Innovations
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- Innovations focused on convenience and personalization are key
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- Figure 42: Interest in product innovations, November 2017
- Women and younger adults report interest in innovations
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- Figure 43: Interest in product innovations, by age and gender, November 2017
- Hispanic adults report above-average interest in product innovations
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- Figure 44: Interest in select product innovations, by Hispanic origin, November 2017
Attitudes toward Soap, Bath, and Shower Products
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- Adults express mixed attitudes towards products
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- Figure 45: Attitudes toward soap, bath, and shower products, November 2017
- Age reveals differences in attitudes
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- Figure 46: Attitudes toward soap, bath, and shower products, by gender and by age, November 2017
- Parents agree baby products are gentler
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- Figure 47: Select attitudes toward soap, bath, and shower products, by parental status, November 2017
- Hispanics and parents align
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- Figure 48: Select attitudes toward soap, bath, and shower products, by Hispanic origin, November 2017
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Direct marketing creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 49: Total US retail sales and forecast of soap, bath and shower products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2012-22
- Figure 50: Total US retail sales of soap, bath and shower products, by segment, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
- Figure 51: Total US retail sales and forecast of bar soap, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 52: Total US retail sales and forecast of liquid body wash, at current prices, 2012-22
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- Figure 53: Total US retail sales and forecast of liquid hand soap, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 54: Total US retail sales and forecast of bath fragrances/bubble bath, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 55: Total US retail sales and forecast of hand sanitizers, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 56: Total US retail sales of soap, bath and shower products, by channel, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 57: Multi-outlet sales of bar soap, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Figure 58: Multi-outlet sales of liquid hand soap, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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- Figure 59: Multi-outlet sales of bath fragrance/bubble bath, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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