Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- Overview
- The market
-
- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of soap, bath and shower products, at current prices, 2009-19
- Market factors
- Controversial antibacterial claims temper growth but still in demand
- Population growth and shifts
-
- Figure 2: US population, by age, 2015
- Segment performance
-
- Figure 3: Total US retail sales of soap, bath and shower products, by segment, at current prices, 2012 and 2014
- The consumer
- Bar soap, liquid hand soap, and body wash are used by majority of consumers
-
- Figure 4: Product usage, November 2014
- Unisex varieties are preferred for the most functional soap, shower and bath products
-
- Figure 5: Types of soap, bath, and shower products used, November 2014
- Usage behaviors point to demand for multitasking products
-
- Figure 6: Most prominent product usage behaviors, November 2014
- Widespread interest in deodorizing benefits, followed by value-added claims
-
- Figure 7: Interest in new product claims and attributes, November 2014
- What we think
Issues and Insights
-
- How can industry players reassure consumers regarding product safety and efficacy?
- The issues
- The implications: Focus on transparency, claims that verify efficacy
- What opportunities are there to target needs of the multicultural consumer?
- The issues
- The implications: Develop regimes for ethnic skin, leverage interest in personalization
- What opportunities are there to align with consumers’ fast-paced lifestyle?
- The issues
- The implications: Emphasize convenience in packaging, multiple use, and functional benefit
Trend Application
-
- Trend: Man in the Mirror
- Trend: Factory Fear
- Trend: Slow it All Down
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Key points
- Mature market supports steady sales
- Steady gains expected to continue
- Sales and forecast of soap, bath and shower products
-
- Figure 8: Total US sales and forecast of soap, bath and shower products, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 9: Total US sales and forecast of soap, bath and shower products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2009-19
- Fan chart forecast
-
- Figure 10: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of soap, bath and shower products, at current prices, 2009-19
Market Drivers
-
- Key points
- Controversial antibacterial claims temper growth but still in demand
- Growing population should benefit market
-
- Figure 11: US population, by age, 2010, 2015, and 2020
- Marketing to men is key to future growth
- Targeting families is important but offers limited opportunity
-
- Figure 12: US households, by presence of own children, 2003-13
- Evolving multicultural demographics influence innovation
-
- Figure 13: US population by race and Hispanic origin, 2009, 2014, and 2019
-
- Figure 14: Purchasing power, by race/Hispanic origin, 1990-2018
Segment Performance
-
- Key points
- Soap, bath and shower sales continue steady growth in most segments
- Hand sanitizers get a boost
- Sales of soap, bath and shower products, by segment
-
- Figure 15: Total US retail sales of soap, bath and shower products, by segment, at current prices, 2012 and 2014
- Figure 16: Total US retail sales of soap, bath and shower products, by segment, at current prices, 2009-14
Segment Performance – Liquid Body Wash
-
- Key points
- Liquid body wash continues to drive category growth
- Sales and forecast of liquid body wash
-
- Figure 17: Total US retail sales and forecast of liquid body wash, at current prices, 2009-19
Segment Performance – Bar Soap
-
- Key points
- Bar soap sales are sluggish
- Sales and forecast of bar soap
-
- Figure 18: Total US sales and forecast of bar soap, at current prices, 2009-19
Segment Performance – Liquid Hand Soap
-
- Key points
- Liquid hand soap is a steady performer
- Sales and forecast of liquid hand soap
-
- Figure 19: Total US sales and forecast of liquid hand soap, at current prices, 2009-19
Segment Performance – Hand Sanitizer
-
- Key points
- Hand sanitizer sales are volatile
- Sales and forecast of hand sanitizer
-
- Figure 20: Total US sales and forecast of hand sanitizer, at current prices, 2009-19
Segment Performance – Bath Products
-
- Key points
- Bath products segment challenged to produce notable growth
- Sales and forecast of bath products
-
- Figure 21: Total US sales and forecast of bath products, at current prices, 2009-19
Retail Channels
-
- Key points
- “Other” retail channels account for largest share of market sales
- Drug stores exhibit strong two-year growth
- Sales of soap, bath and shower products, by channel
-
- Figure 22: Sales of soap, bath and shower products, by channel, 2012 and 2014
- Figure 23: Total US retail sales of soap, bath, and shower products, by channel, at current prices, 2009-14
Leading Companies
-
- Key points
- Unilever leads soap, bath and shower category
- P&G jumps Colgate-Palmolive, narrows gap to the #2 spot
- Manufacturer sales of soap, bath and shower products
-
- Figure 24: MULO sales of soap, bath and shower products, by leading companies, rolling 52-weeks 2013 and 2014
Brand Share and Usage – Liquid Body Wash
-
- Key points
- Unilever’s Dove leads segment in sales and share
- P&G finds success across brand lines
- Colgate-Palmolive launches Tom’s of Maine into body wash segment
- Manufacturer sales of liquid body wash
-
- Figure 25: MULO sales of liquid body wash, by leading companies, rolling 52-weeks 2013 and 2014
- Dove is most popular body wash among body wash users
-
- Figure 26: Brands of body wash used, by gender, April 2013-June 2014
Brand Share and Usage – Bar Soap
-
- Key points
- Dove has a commanding lead in bar soap brand sales
- Olay outperforms other bar soap brands with value-added benefits
- Opportunity for smaller brands to capture share of segment
- Manufacturer sales of bar soap
-
- Figure 27: MULO sales of bar soap, by leading companies, rolling 52-weeks 2013 and 2014
- Dove is most used bar soap brand
-
- Figure 28: Brands of bar soap used, by gender, April 2013-June 2014
Brand Share and Usage – Liquid Hand Soap
-
- Key points
- Colgate-Palmolive has a solid lead in segment sales, but sales are stagnant
- Henkel and Method are standout performers
- Private label losing share to branded products
- Manufacturer sales of liquid hand soap
-
- Figure 29: MULO sales of liquid hand soap, by leading companies, rolling 52-weeks 2013 and 2014
- Softsoap most popular liquid hand soap
-
- Figure 30: Brands of liquid hand soap use, by household income, April 2013-June 2014
Brand Share – Hand Sanitizer
-
- Key points
- Purell continues to steal share from segment leader, Germ-X
- Manufacturer sales of hand sanitizers
-
- Figure 31: MULO sales of hand sanitizers, by leading companies, rolling 52-weeks 2013 and 2014
Brand Share – Bath Products
-
- Key points
- Bath products get boost from new product innovation
- Private label entices shoppers with value price points
- Manufacturer sales of bath products
-
- Figure 32: MULO sales of bath products, by leading companies, rolling 52-weeks 2013 and 2014
Innovations and Innovators
-
- New product launch trends
-
- Figure 33: Share of soap, bath and shower product launches, by subcategory, 2010-14
-
- Figure 34: Top 10 soap, bath and shower product claims, by share, 2010-14
- Product innovations
- Adding value to soap, bath and shower products
- Demographic-specific innovation
- Multitasking products
- Limited-edition/seasonal innovation
- Fruity notes are remain popular fragrance
Marketing Strategies
-
- Overview of the brand landscape
- Marketing to men
- Old Spice: Satire and sex
-
- Figure 35: Old Spice body wash and deodorant, television ad, 2014
- Lifestyle positioning
- Method: Life can be messy
- Consumer education
- Purell: Myth-buster
Product Usage
-
- Key points
- Soap, bath and shower products are an essential component of hygiene
-
- Figure 36: Product usage, November 2014
- High incidence of multiple product usage
-
- Figure 37: Repertoire of products usage, by gender and age, November 2014
- Men most likely to use bar soap
-
- Figure 38: Product usage, by gender, November 2014
- Bath products most popular among 25-34s
-
- Figure 39: Product usage, by age, November 2014
- Households with children regularly use hand sanitizers
-
- Figure 40: Product usage, by presence of children in household, November 2014
Gender-specific vs. Unisex Product Use
-
- Key points
- Bath products usage skews toward female-specific types
-
- Figure 41: Types of soap, bath, and shower products used, November 2014
- Unisex soap, bath and shower product usage
-
- Figure 42: General market/unisex use of soap, bath, and shower products, by gender and age, November 2014
- Female-specific soap, bath and shower product usage
-
- Figure 43: Female-specific use of soap, bath, and shower products, by gender and age, November 2014
- Male-specific soap, bath and shower product usage
-
- Figure 44: Male-specific use of soap, bath, and shower products, by gender and age, November 2014
Reasons for Using Gender-specific Products
-
- Key points
- Fragrance drives usage of gender-specific products
-
- Figure 45: Reasons for using gender-specific soap, bath, and shower products, by gender, November 2014
- Packaging for gender-specific products influences use among 25-34s
-
- Figure 46: Reasons for using gender-specific soap, bath, and shower products, by age, November 2014
- Urban users think gender-specific products work better/offer more beauty benefits
-
- Figure 47: Reasons for using gender-specific soap, bath, and shower products, by area, November 2014
Usage Behaviors
-
- Key points
- Consumer behavior shows tendency to use bath products as all-purpose
-
- Figure 48: Soap, bath, and shower product usage behaviors, November 2014
- Women are more likely to use products designed for specific skin conditions
-
- Figure 49: Soap, bath, and shower product usage behaviors, by gender, November 2014
-
- Figure 50: Soap, bath, and shower product usage behaviors, by gender and age, November 2014
- Younger users most likely to use multiple products
-
- Figure 51: Soap, bath, and shower product usage behaviors, by age, November 2014
- Urbanites more likely to use specialized bath products
-
- Figure 52: Soap, bath, and shower product usage behaviors, by area, November 2014
Interest in New Product Attributes and Claims
-
- Key points
- Widespread interest in bath products with deodorizing properties
-
- Figure 53: Interest in new product claims and attributes, November 2014
- Women seek ultra-gentle and intensive moisturizing products
-
- Figure 54: Interest in new product claims and attributes – Any interest, by gender, November 2014
-
- Figure 55: Interest in new product claims and attributes – Any interest, by gender and age, November 2014
- Bath product users aged 25-34 show high responsiveness to new product innovation
-
- Figure 56: Interest in new product claims and attributes – Any interest, by age, November 2014
- Urbanites are a prime target for new product innovation
-
- Figure 57: Interest in new product claims and attributes – Any interest, by area, November 2014
Liquid Hand Soap and Hand Sanitizer Usage Behaviors
-
- Key points
- Hand sanitizers stored in multiple places
-
- Figure 58: Liquid hand soap and hand sanitizer usage behaviors, November 2014
- Young women are more likely to use hand soaps/sanitizers with seasonal fragrances
-
- Figure 59: Liquid hand soap and hand sanitizer usage behaviors, by gender and age, November 2014
- More affluent consumers tend to do more research on ingredient profiles
-
- Figure 60: Liquid hand soap and hand sanitizer usage behaviors, by household income, November 2014
- Parents are more likely to research the ingredients in liquid hand soap/sanitizers
-
- Figure 61: Liquid hand soap and hand sanitizer usage behaviors, by presence of children in household, November 2014
Race and Hispanic Origin
-
- Key points
- Multicultural use of soap, bath and shower product use is high
-
- Figure 62: Product usage, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2014
- Multicultural demographics are most likely to use a repertoire of five or more products
-
- Figure 63: Repertoire of products usage, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2014
- Gender-specific vs. unisex product use
-
- Figure 64: Female-specific use of soap, bath, and shower products, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2014
- Figure 65: Male-specific use of soap, bath, and shower products, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2014
- Hispanics use gender-specific scents to be different than their spouse
-
- Figure 66: Reasons for using gender-specific soap, bath, and shower products, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2014
- Black consumers use multiple soap products
-
- Figure 67: Soap, bath, and shower product usage behaviors, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2014
- Asians receptive to new product claims and attributes
-
- Figure 68: Interest in new product claims and attributes – Any interest, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2014
- Hispanics are interested in decorative containers for hand soap/sanitizers
-
- Figure 69: Liquid hand soap and hand sanitizer usage behaviors, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2014
Appendix – Other Useful Consumer Tables
-
- Use of hand sanitizers increases with household size
-
- Figure 70: Product usage, by household size, November 2014
- Younger male users think gender-specific products work better than unisex counterparts
-
- Figure 71: Reasons for using gender-specific soap, bath, and shower products, by gender and age, November 2014
- Unisex vs. gender-specific usage
-
- Figure 72: Types of soap, bath, and shower products used – General market/unisex, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2014
- Over 55s least likely to use Dove
-
- Figure 73: Brands of bar soap used, by age, April 2013-June 2014
- Households without kids more likely to be sold brand users
-
- Figure 74: Brands of liquid hand soap use, by presence of children in household, April 2013-June 2014
- Primary brands users of body wash skew younger
-
- Figure 75: Brands of body wash used, by age, April 2013-June 2014
- Hispanics show strong allegiance to the Dove brand
-
- Figure 76: Brands of bar soap used, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2013-June 2014
-
- Figure 77: Brands of liquid hand soap use, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2013-June 2014
-
- Figure 78: Brands of body wash used, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2013-June 2014
- Less affluent consumers tend to be the most brand loyal
-
- Figure 79: Soap, bath, and shower product usage behaviors, by household income, November 2014
Appendix – Trade Associations
Back to top