What you need to know

The shampoo, conditioner, and hairstyling products category experienced slow, yet steady, gains between 2008 and 2013, with steady rates of growth expected to continue through 2018. The haircare category is mature and saturated, but shifting consumer preferences toward more natural looking and less styled hair have helped boost sales of conditioner as well as sparked interest in formats that support healthy hair such as oils and BB creams. However, interest in less styled hair has led to struggles in the styling product segments.

Looking ahead, growth opportunities will likely stem from customized product offerings. For example, gender-specific, lifestage-appropriate, and even occasion-specific items will be important in generating incremental sales. Lastly, given the high saturation and parity in the category, creative retailing and marketing strategies will be instrumental in capturing the attention of a somewhat disloyal haircare consumer.

Definition

This report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Shampoo, Conditioners and Styling Products—US, April 2013, as well as the April 2012 report of the same title; Haircare—US, May 2011Haircare: Shampoo, Conditioner, and Hair Styling Products—US, April 2010; and Shampoo and Conditioner—US, April 2008, March 2007, March 2006, and March 2005.

For the purposes of this report, the shampoo, conditioner, and hairstyling products market has been segmented as follows:

  • Shampoo, including anti-dandruff formulas and dry shampoo

  • Conditioner, including leave-in and rinse-out products

  • Hairstyling products including gel, mousse, cream, oil, putty, and other texturizers

  • Hairspray/spritz

This report does not include hair color or other chemical treatments such as perms, relaxers, or keratin straighteners (see instead Mintel’s Home Hair Color—US, November 2013). In addition, this report only covers the at-home haircare market and does not include salon services.

Value figures throughout this report are at rsp (retail selling prices) excluding sales tax unless otherwise stated.

Data sources

Sales data

Market Size and Forecast and Segment Performance—total retail sales based on Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews; US Census Bureau, Economic Census; Progressive Grocer’s Consumer Expenditures Study

Retail Channels—based on Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews; US Census Bureau, Economic Census; Progressive Grocer’s Consumer Expenditures Study; 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 and Forecast and Segment Performance sections of this report. Companies and brands sales data encompass only sales through MULO channels, while Market Size and Forecast and Segment Performance 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 usage of and attitudes toward shampoo, conditioner, and hairstyling products. Mintel was responsible for the survey design, data analysis, and reporting. Fieldwork was conducted in January 2014 among a sample of 2,000 adults aged 18+ with access to the internet.

Mintel selects survey respondents by gender, age, household income, and region so that they are proportionally representative of the US adult population using the internet. Mintel also slightly over-samples, relative to the population, respondents that are Hispanic or Black to ensure an adequate representation of these groups in our survey results and to allow for more precise parameter estimates from our reported findings. 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 Marketing Services, using the Simmons NCS (National Consumer Study) and the Simmons NHCS (National Hispanic Consumer Study).

The Experian Marketing Services, Simmons NCS/NHCS was carried out during July 2012-September 2013 and the results are based on the sample of 24,219 adults aged 18+, with results weighted to represent the US adult population.

In addition to quantitative consumer research, Mintel also conducted an online discussion group among a demographically mixed group of adults aged 18+. This discussion group was asynchronous (ie not run in real time), functioning like a blog or bulletin board, with questions remaining posted for a predetermined period of time. This method allows participants to respond reflectively, at their leisure, or to log off to think about any issues raised, and return later to respond. Participants were recruited from GMI’s online consumer panel with responses collected in February 2014. All quotes are included verbatim, and as such, include typos and other grammatical errors as they originally appeared.

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 ther race) will overlap those that also are Hispanic, because Hispanics can be of any race.

Abbreviations and terms

Abbreviations

The following is a list of abbreviations used in this report.

CPI Consumer Price Index
GNPD Global New Products Database
J&J Johnson & Johnson
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)
P&G Procter & Gamble
rsp Retail selling price
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Terms

BB cream Beauty balm hair cream (ie adds shine, moisture)
CC cream Complete correction hair cream (ie improves hair health, manageability)
Co-washing Using conditioner to wash hair in lieu of shampoo

Generations, if discussed within this report, are defined as:

World War II The generation born in 1932 or before. In 2014, members of this generation are aged 82 or older.
Swing Generation The generation born between 1933 and 1945. In 2014, members of the Swing Generation are between the ages of 69 and 81.
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, Generation Xers are between the ages of 38 and 49.
Millennials* The generation born between 1977 and 1994. In 2014, Millennials are between the ages of 20 and 37.
iGeneration The generation born between 1995 and 2007. In 2014, iGen are between the ages of 7 and 19.
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 younger than 7.

* also known as Generation Y or Echo Boomers

** previously known as Post-Millennials

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.
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