Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Disposable baby products market experiences declines, a result of diapers struggle
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- Figure 1: Sales of disposable baby products, by segment, 2015-17
- The issues
- Low fertility rate impacting the pool of consumers
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- Figure 2: Households with own children under age 18, 1960-2017
- Mass merchandisers have the advantage
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- Figure 3: Select purchase locations, December 2017
- The opportunities
- Younger parents are buying more in the market than older parents
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- Figure 4: Repertoire of disposable baby product purchases, by parent’s age, December 2017
- Diaper sales decline; yet usage remains high
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- Figure 5: Diaper and training pants purchases, trial and interest in diaper innovations – Any trial or interest (net), December 2017
- Leveraging free-from claims to convey safety, natural
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- Figure 6: Select purchase influencers for baby personal care products, any rank (net), December 2017
- Black and Hispanic parents are buying into natural
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- Figure 7: Select attitudes toward natural products, by race and Hispanic origin, December 2017
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Market declines continue, yet a rebound is in sight
- Diaper struggles hurting category
- Delays in childbearing leading to smaller households
Market Size and Forecast
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- Steady declines continue for disposable baby products market
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- Figure 8: Total US retail sales and forecast of disposable baby products, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of disposable baby products, at current prices, 2012-22
Market Breakdown
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- Diapers lead; sales decline significantly impacts total market
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- Figure 10: Total US retail sales of disposable baby products, by segment, 2015-17
Market Perspective
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- Less is more for parents when it comes to disposable baby products
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- Figure 11: Share of diapers and wipes product launches, by claim, 2013-17
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- Figure 12: Share of baby personal care product launches, by claim, 2013-17
- Dads role in the family continues to evolve
- Online, subscription services disrupting retailers
Market Factors
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- Delayed childbearing leading to smaller households
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- Figure 13: Average age of mother at first birth, 1990-2015
- Figure 14: Households with own children under age 18, 1960-2017
- More diverse population, Hispanic growth impacts market
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- Figure 15: Distribution of population, by age and race/Hispanic origin, 2016
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- P&G is the leader in disposable baby product sales
- Brand extension, a focus on safety help brands in slow market
- Parents deal-seeking behavior tempers diaper sales
- Plant-based ingredients offer safe alternative
Manufacturer Sales of Disposable Baby Products
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- Big two dominate market; smaller companies deliver growth
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- Figure 16: Multi-outlet sales of disposable baby products, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
What’s Working?
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- Adult personal care brands perform well in baby market
- Dove leverages brand heritage, online ads to reach parents
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- Figure 17: Baby Dove #RealMoms campaign video
- Sensitive and safe focus contribute to wipe segment growth
What’s Struggling?
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- Private label competes with brand-focused, deal-seeking parents
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- Figure 18: Multi-outlet sales of private label disposable baby products, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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- Figure 19: Share of disposable baby product launches, branded vs private label, 2012-17
- Diapers sales challenged by price sensitivity
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- Figure 20: Total US retail and volume sales of disposable diapers and disposable training pants, at current prices, 2012-17
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- Figure 21: Target email ad, December 2017, January 2018
- J&J baby personal care segment loses share to smaller players
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- Figure 22: Multi-outlet sales of baby personal care products, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
What’s Next?
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- Focus on absorbency and performance could lift diapers
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- Figure 23: The Wet test: Did mom pass?, Jan. 17, 2018
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- Figure 24: Multi-outlet sales of The Honest Co. disposable diapers, 2012-17
- Plant-based ingredients expand into baby personal care products
- Brick-and-mortar competing with online and subscription services
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- Figure 25: Target email ad, January 2018
- Don’t forget about even the tiniest of consumers
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Diapers and wipes experience heaviest usage; moms drive purchases
- Mainstream brands most popular, yet natural not far behind
- Mass channels dominate category
- Safety comes first when purchasing baby personal care products
- Majority of parents perceive natural products favorably
- Parenthood increases interest in related products and services
Disposable Baby Product Purchases
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- Diapers and wipes experience heaviest usage
- Moms driving household purchases
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- Figure 26: Disposable baby product purchases, by parent’s gender, December 2017
- Younger parents more invested in market
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- Figure 27: Select disposable baby product purchases, by parent’s age, December 2017
- Age of child drives purchases
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- Figure 28: Select disposable baby product purchases, by child age, December 2017
- Hispanic parents are heavier purchasers
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- Figure 29: Disposable baby product purchases, by Hispanic origin, December 2017
Brand Preferences
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- Majority of shoppers opt for national brands
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- Figure 30: Brand preferences, any disposable baby products (net), December 2017
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- Figure 31: Brand preferences, December 2017
- Infant parents prefer natural brands
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- Figure 32: Natural brand preferences, by age of child, December 2017
- The sweet spot for natural personal care brands: younger and Hispanic parents
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- Figure 33: Natural brand preferences, by parent’s age, December 2017
- Lower income households price-driven, but also interested in natural
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- Figure 34: Brand preferences – Any disposable baby product (net), by household income, December 2017
Purchase Location
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- Most parents rely on mass merchandisers; one in 10 buy online
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- Figure 35: Disposable baby products purchase location, December 2017
- Store brand purchases are heavier at mass, club stores
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- Figure 36: Brand preferences - Any disposable baby products, by purchase location, December 2017
- All parents shop mass, regardless of number of kids
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- Figure 37: Select purchase location, by number of children under age 18 in household, December 2017
Purchase Influencers for Baby Personal Care Products
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- Baby personal care product selection starts with safety…
- …and ends with reviews and recommendations
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- Figure 38: Purchase influencers for baby personal care products, by rank, December 2017
- First-time parents seek natural ingredients, reassurance
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- Figure 39: Select purchase influencers for baby personal care products – Any rank (net), by number of children under age 18 in household, December 2017
- Hydrating benefits appeal to Black and Hispanic parents
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- Figure 40: Select purchase influencers for baby personal care products – Any rank (net), by race and Hispanic origin, December 2017
Attitudes Toward Natural Products
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- Parents’ perceptions of natural baby products are positive
- Natural offerings benefit from premium and health related benefits
- Belief that natural means costly could hold back buyers
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- Figure 41: Attitudes toward natural products, December 2017
- Hispanic, Black parents hold natural products to a higher standard
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- Figure 42: Select attitudes toward natural products, by race and Hispanic origin, December 2017
- Lower-income households driven by perceptions of safety, trust
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- Figure 43: Select attitudes toward natural products, by household income, December 2017
Trial and Interest in Product Innovations
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- Product innovations garner strong usage, interest
- Safer is always better
- Convenience
- Apps: taking them to the next level
- Customization
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- Figure 44: Trial and interest in product innovations, December 2018
- Younger parents, Hispanics express greater interest in innovations
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- Figure 45: Trial and interest in product innovations – Any interest or trail (net), by parent’s age, December 2018
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- Figure 46: Trial and interest in product innovations – Any interest or trail (net), by Hispanic origin, December 2018
- First time parents seek guidance, experienced parents want convenience
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- Figure 47: Trial and interest in select product innovations – Any interest or trail (net), by number of children under the age 18 in household, December 2018
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 48: Total US retail sales and forecast of disposable baby products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2012-22
- Figure 49: Total US retail sales and forecast of disposable baby products, by segment, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 50: Total US retail sales of disposable baby products, by segment, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
- Figure 51: Total US retail sales and forecast of disposable diapers/training pants, at current prices, 2012-22
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- Figure 52: Total US retail sales and forecast of baby wipes/moist towelettes, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 53: Total US retail sales and forecast of baby personal care products, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 54: Total US retail sales of disposable baby products, by channel, at current prices, 2012-2017
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- Figure 55: Total US retail sales of disposable baby products, by channel, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 56: Multi-outlet sales of disposable diapers/training pants, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Figure 57: Multi-outlet sales of baby wipes/moist towelettes, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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- Figure 58: Multi-outlet sales of baby personal care products, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 59: Disposable baby product purchases, December 2017
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- Figure 60: Share of natural disposable baby product launches, by private label, 2013-17
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- Figure 61: Disposable diapers/training pants brand usage, July 2016-August 2017
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- Figure 62: Pre-moistened wipes/cloths for babies brand usage, July 2016-August 2017
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- Figure 63: Baby oil and baby lotion brand usage, July 2016-August 2017
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- Figure 64: Baby/ children’s shampoo brand usage, July 2016-August 2017
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- Figure 65: Baby wash and baby bath product brand usage, July 2016-August 2017
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