- Contents
- *Scope and Themes
- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
What you need to know
The $171 billion household paper products market has posted only modest sales growth between 2008 and 2013. While toilet paper and paper towels remain staples in nearly all households, usage of some other paper products, including facial tissue and paper napkins has slipped as some consumers have deemed them replaceable. Category shoppers are as value-conscious as ever, however some brands are having success at advancing the idea that better quality paper products can be a better value. In addition, there’s an opportunity for brands to generate incremental sales through ideas that make it easier for consumers to use paper products in a wider array of occasions.
Definition
This report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Household Paper Products – US, February 2013, as well as the February 2013, September 2010, September 2008, September 2006, February 2004, and January 2003 reports of the same title.
For the purposes of this report, the household paper products market has been segmented as follows:
paper towels
toilet tissues
facial tissues
paper napkins
moist toilet tissues*
moist towelettes for hands and face*
Throughout this report, Mintel uses the terms toilet tissue and toilet paper interchangeably.
* Flushable moist wipes and moist towelettes for hands/face are combined in the same category in data provided by IRI. Mintel reallocates these into separate categories based on brand research; private label is assumed to have the same proportion of flushable wipes and hand/face towelettes as the branded products.
Value figures throughout this report are at retail selling prices (rsp) excluding sales tax unless otherwise stated.
Sales data
Market Size and Forecast and Segment Performance: based on Information Resources, Inc., InfoScan Reviews; US Census Bureau, Economic Census
Retail Channels: based on Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews; US Census Bureau, Economic Census; except supermarket and drug store sales, which are based on Information Resources, Inc., InfoScan Reviews.
Leading Companies and Brand Share: based on MULO sales data from Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews. MULO is defined as Multi Outlet, representative of the following channels: Total US Grocery, Mass, Total US Drug, Total Walmart, Dollar, Military, and Club. Note that the values shown in this section differ from the Market Size/Forecast and Segment Performance sections of this report. Companies and brands sales data encompasses only sales through MULO channels, while Market Size/Forecast and Segment sales cover the entire retail market.
Consumer survey data
For the purposes of this report, Mintel commissioned exclusive consumer research through GMI to explore consumer purchase of and attitudes toward household paper products. Mintel was responsible for the survey design, data analysis, and reporting. Fieldwork was conducted in November 2013 among a sample of 2,000 adults aged 18+ with access to the internet.
Mintel selects survey respondents so that they are proportionally balanced to the entire US adult population based on the key demographics of gender, age, household income, and region. Mintel also slightly oversamples, relative to the population, respondents that are Hispanic or black to ensure an adequate representation of these groups in the survey results. Please note that Mintel surveys are conducted online and in English only. Hispanics who are not online and/or do not speak English are not included in the survey results.
Mintel has also analyzed data from Experian Consumer Research, using the Simmons NCS (National Consumer Study) and the Simmons NHCS (National Hispanic Consumer Study).
The Experian Simmons NCS/NHCS: Summer 2013 Adult Full Year – POP survey was conducted from July 2012-September 2013, and results are based on the sample of 24,219 adults aged 18+, with results weighted to represent the US adult population.
While race and Hispanic origin are separate demographic characteristics, Mintel often compares them to each other. Please note that the responses for race (White, Black, Asian, Native American, or other race) will overlap those that also are Hispanic, because Hispanics can be of any race.
Abbreviations
The following is a list of abbreviations used in this report.
| CPI | Consumer Price Index |
| GNPD | Global New Products Database |
| MULO | Multi Outlet, representative of the following channels: total US Grocery, Mass, total US Drug, total Walmart, Dollar, Military, and Club |
| NACS | National Association of Convenience Stores |
| NHCS | National Consumer Study /National Hispanic Consumer Study (Experian Marketing Services) |
| Rsp | Retail selling price |
| SOV | Share of voice |
Terms
Generations, if discussed within this report, are defined as:
| World War II/Swing generations | Members of the WWII generation were born in 1932 or before and are aged 82 or older in 2014. Members of the Swing Generation were born from 1933 to 1945 and are aged 69-81 in 2014. |
| Baby Boomers | The generation born between 1946 and 1964. In 2014, Baby Boomers are between the ages of 50 and 68. |
| Generation X | The generation born between 1965 and 1976. In 2014, Gen Xers are between the ages of 38 and 49. |
| Millennials* | Born between 1977 and 1994, Millennials are aged 20-37 in 2014. |
| iGeneration | Born between 1995 and 2007, members of iGen are aged 7-19 in 2014. |
| Emerging generation | The newest generation began in 2008 as the annual number of births declined sharply with the recession. In 2014 members of this as-yet unnamed generation are under age 7. |
* also known as Generation Y or Echo Boomers
In order to provide an inflation-adjusted price value for markets, Mintel uses the CPI to deflate current prices. The CPI is defined as follows:
| CPI | The Consumer Price Index is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services. The CPI and its components are typically used to adjust other economic series for price changes and to translate these series into inflation-free dollars. Examples of series adjusted by the CPI include retail sales, hourly and weekly earnings, and components of the national income and product accounts. In addition, and in Mintel reports, the CPI is used as a deflator of the value of the consumer’s dollar to find its purchasing power. The purchasing power of the consumer's dollar measures the change in the value to the consumer of goods and services that a dollar will buy at different dates. The CPI is generally the best measure for adjusting payments to consumers when the intent is to allow consumers to purchase, at today’s prices, a market basket of goods and services equivalent to one that they could purchase in an earlier period. It is also the best measure to use to translate retail sales into real or inflation-free dollars. Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics definition. |
