Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Products covered in this Report
- Excluded
Executive Summary
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- The market
- A market in decline
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- Figure 1: Best- and worst-case forecast for UK retail value sales of soap, bath and shower products, 2011-21
- Companies and brands
- Competitive pricing challenges leading brands
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- Figure 2: Brand shares in the UK soap market, year ending November 2016
- Figure 3: Brand shares in the UK bath and shower market, year ending November 2016
- Product development under pressure
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- Figure 4: New product development in the soap, bath, and shower category, by product type, 2014-16
- The consumer
- Decline in product usage
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- Figure 5: Usage of soap, bath, and shower products, October 2015 and November 2016
- Bathing continues to fall from favour
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- Figure 6: Change in frequency of bath, shower and hand-cleansing routines, November 2016
- Young men become more invested with bathroom routine
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- Figure 7: Change in frequency of additional bathing/showering routines, November 2016
- Hygiene and appearance are top concerns
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- Figure 8: Washing and bathing behaviours, November 2016
- Convenience is a priority
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- Figure 9: Interest in innovations in soap, bath, and shower products, November 2016
- Bathing/showering seen as a stress reliever
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- Figure 10: Attitudes towards soap, bath, and shower products, November 2016
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Increasing interest in bathing amongst a young audience
- The facts
- The implications
- Engaging young men with the SBS category
- The facts
- The implications
- A focus on hand washing offers new opportunities
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- A declining market
- Value sales of soap buck the downward trend
- Savvy shopping continues to shape the market
- Meeting the challenges of an ageing population
- Countering rising stress levels
- The impact of new legislation
Market Size and Forecast
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- A market in decline
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- Figure 11: UK retail value sales of soap, bath and shower products, at current and constant prices, 2011-21
- Market expected to struggle to grow
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- Figure 12: Best- and worst-case forecast for UK retail value sales of soap, bath and shower products, 2011-21
- Forecast methodology
- The impact of the EU referendum vote
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- Figure 13: Alternative market scenarios for the post-Brexit soap, bath and shower market, at current prices, 2016-21
- Figure 14: Detailed post-Brexit scenarios for the soap, bath and shower market, at current prices, 2016-21
- SBS products are still essential
Market Segmentation
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- Value sales of soap buck downward trend
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- Figure 15: UK retail value sales of soap, bath and shower products, by segment, 2015-16 (est)
- Sales of bath products stagnate
Channels to Market
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- Savvy shopping continues to shape the retail landscape
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- Figure 16: UK retail value sales of soap, bath, and shower products, by retail channel, 2015 and 2016
- Retail innovations boost sales through ‘other’ channels
Market Drivers
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- Ageing population provides challenges and opportunities
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- Figure 17: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2011-21
- Figure 18: Ethical factors considered when shopping, by age, May 2015
- Influence of discount stores
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- Figure 19: Frequency of shopping at discounters, June 2016
- Benefiting the skin
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- Figure 20: Skin concerns experienced regularly in the last 12 months, by age, March 2016
- Countering rising stress levels
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- Figure 21: Repertoire of causes of stress over last 12 months, October 2016
- Legislative developments
- Ban on microbeads to alter product ingredients
- The end of anti-bacterial soap?
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Competitive pricing challenges leading brands
- Skin-caring formulations as an opportunity for growth
- Unilever drives down advertising spend
- Dove excels in brand metrics
- Lush benefits from fun and vibrant image
Market Share
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- Carex maintains its lead for soap products
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- Figure 22: Brand shares in the UK soap market, years ending November 2015 and 2016
- Imperial Leather and NIVEA see a sharp decline in bath and shower
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- Figure 23: Brand shares in the UK bath and shower market, years ending November 2015 and 2016
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Product development under pressure
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- Figure 24: New product development in the soap, bath, and shower category, by product type, 2014-16
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- Figure 25: Examples of new soap, bath, and shower launches with seasonal claims, 2015-16
- Decline in true innovation
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- Figure 26: New product development in the soap, bath, and shower category, by launch type, 2014-16
- Branded products increase share of new product development
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- Figure 27: New product development in the soap, bath, and shower category, own-label vs branded, 2014-16
- Waitrose brand focuses on scent
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- Figure 28: New product development in the soap, bath, and shower category, top 5 ultimate companies plus other, 2016
- Figure 29: Examples of new soap, bath, and shower launches from Waitrose (John Lewis Partnership), 2015-16
- Botanical/herbal claims continue to dominate
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- Figure 30: New product development in the soap, bath, and shower category, by top 10 claims for 2015 and 2016
- Figure 31: Examples of soap, bath and shower product launches with botanical/herbal claims, 2015-16
- Taking care of the skin
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- Figure 32: Examples of soap, bath and shower product launches with moisturising claims, 2015-16
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Unilever drives down advertising spend
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- Figure 33: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on soap, bath, and shower products, 2014-16
- Outdoor advertising shows promise
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- Figure 34: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on soap, bath and shower products, by media type, 2014-16
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- Figure 35: Baylis & Harding associate with The Great British Bake-Off, August 2016
- In-store activities as an advertising tool
- Johnson & Johnson returns with big push on adspend
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- Figure 36: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on soap, bath, and shower products, by top 5 companies plus other, 2016
- Unilever significantly reduces advertising spend
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- Figure 37: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on soap, bath, and shower products, by product type, 2015-16
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Brand Research
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- Brand map
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- Figure 38: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, December 2016
- Key brand metrics
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- Figure 39: Key metrics for selected brands, December 2016
- Brand attitudes: Dove is associated with confidence and care
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- Figure 40: Attitudes, by brand, December 2016
- Brand personality: Lush is fun and vibrant
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- Figure 41: Brand personality – Macro image, December 2016
- Pears and Radox are both basic
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- Figure 42: Brand personality – Micro image, December 2016
- Brand analysis
- Dove offers high quality and value
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- Figure 43: User profile of Dove, December 2016
- Lush is a fun and vibrant brand
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- Figure 44: User profile of Lush, December 2016
- Radox has broad usage while also being considered accessible
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- Figure 45: User profile of Radox, December 2016
- Original Source appeals to women
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- Figure 46: User profile of Original Source, December 2016
- Molton Brown not seen as offering good value
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- Figure 47: User profile of Molton Brown, December 2016
- Pears users are older
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- Figure 48: User profile of Pears, December 2016
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Decline in products used
- Bathing continues to fall from favour
- Young men become more invested with bathroom routine
- Hygiene is a top concern…
- …but appearance is also important
- Seasons influence the bathroom routine
- Packaging convenience in high demand
- Demand for long-lasting fragrance and sensorial experiences
- Bathing/showering seen as a stress reliever
Product Usage
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- Product usage in decline
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- Figure 49: Usage of soap, bath, and shower products, October 2015 and November 2016
- Solid bath products maintain popularity
- A focus on packaging convenience could tempt men
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- Figure 50: Repertoire of soap, bath, and shower products used in the last six months, by gender, November 2016
Changes to Bathroom Routines
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- 22% are bathing less
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- Figure 51: Change in frequency of bath, shower and hand-cleansing routines, November 2016
- Hand hygiene under greater scrutiny
- Young men becoming more invested with bathroom routine
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- Figure 52: Change in frequency of additional bathing/showering routines, November 2016
Lifestyle and Bathroom Routine
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- Hygiene is top concern
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- Figure 53: Washing and bathing behaviours, November 2016
- Appearance is important
- Seasons can influence the bathroom routine
- Time- and money-saving a priority
Interest in Innovation
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- People want convenience
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- Figure 54: Interest in innovations in soap, bath, and shower products, November 2016
- Desire for long-lasting fragrance is high
- Demand for products that offer a more sensorial experience
Attitudes towards Soap, Bath and Shower Products
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- Bathing/showering to relieve stress
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- Figure 55: Attitudes towards soap, bath, and shower products, November 2016
- Older people stick with what they know
- Baby care products appeal to adults
- Promoting skincare benefits as more than ‘just a gimmick’
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- Forecast methodology
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