Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Overview
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- Figure 1: Total US retail sales and forecast of air care, by segment, at current prices, 2013-23
- The challenges and opportunities
- Consumers doing more with less
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- Figure 2: Frequency of air care use, repertoire of air care product usage, October 2018
- Long-standing formats losing favor amid ingredient concerns
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- Figure 3: Select reasons for using air care products less often, October 2018
- Category engagement drops with age
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- Figure 4: Repertoire of air care product usage, five or more, by age, parental status, October 2018
- Retail landscape highly fragmented, reflects save versus splurge mentality
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- Figure 5: Primary and secondary retailers shopped, by segment, October 2018
- Mass most purchased, but not by much
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- Figure 6: Select candle shopping behaviors and attitudes, October 2018
- Innovation areas provide additional usage occasions
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- Figure 7: Interest in innovations, October 2018
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Air care product sales grow by 2%
- Most spend allocated toward candles, vehicle segment leads growth
- Scented household products threaten air freshener sales
- Shifts in population will impact market growth
- Natural, eco-friendly, free-from claims will be key to future growth
Market Size and Forecast
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- Air care market sees slight uptick amid recent struggles
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- Figure 8: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of air care products, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of air care products, at current prices, 2013-23
Future of Air Care
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- Health and environmental concerns will drive future category claims
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- Figure 10: Total US retail sales and forecast of air care products, at current prices, by select US air care product launch claims, 2013-23
Market Breakdown
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- Candles are largest segment, vehicle air fresheners see strongest growth
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- Figure 11: Total US retail sales of air care products, by segment, at current prices, 2016 and 2018
- Other channels dominate sales
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- Figure 12: Total US retail sales of air care products, by channel, at current prices, 2013-18
Market Perspective
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- Scented household products pose a threat to air care
Market Factors
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- Population and living trends impact air care usage
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- Figure 13: Population aged 18 or older, by age, 2013-23
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- S.C. Johnson & Son maintains market lead, smaller players see growth
- Brands incorporating natural, eco-focused claims see growth
- Value candle brands struggle
- Shake up the category by innovating around scent, experiences
Manufacturer Sales of Air Care
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- SCJ leads market, small brands see stronger growth
- Sales of air care by company
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- Figure 14: MULO sales of air care products, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
What’s Working?
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- Seasonality remains important for category
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- Figure 15: Share of US product launch claims, 2013-18*
- Natural and eco-friendly meet demand for safer products
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- Figure 16: Share of US air care product launches with botanical/herbal, environmental friendly product claims, 2013 and 2018*
- Laundry scents strike familiar cord, underscore scent substitution threat
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- Figure 17: MULO sales of home and vehicle air fresheners with identifiable laundry scents, rolling 52-weeks ending Oct. 7, 2018
What’s Struggling?
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- Mass brands, private label candles can’t live up to premium interests
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- Figure 18: MULO sales of select candles, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
What’s Next?
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- Disrupt scent sameness
- Create unique experiences
- Home automation will drive smart air care forward
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Slight shifts in product usage reflect challenges and opportunities
- Usage motivations two pronged while health concerns persist
- Convenience, cost influence shopping for air fresheners, essential oils
- Younger candle users driven by lifestyle interests
- Familiar scents in adjacent categories could pique interest
- Younger adults, parents drive air care innovation interest
Air Care Usage
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- Shifts in usage shaped by ingredient concerns, new formats
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- Figure 19: Repertoire of air care product usage, December 2016 and October 2018
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- Figure 20: Air care usage, December 2016 and October 2018
- Lifestage drives air care usage
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- Figure 21: Usage of select air care products, by age, parental status, October 2018
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- Figure 22: Repertoire of air care product usage, by age, parental status, October 2018
- Hispanics, particularly Millennials, engaged in category
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- Figure 23: Repertoire of air care product usage – five or more, by Hispanic origin and generation, October 2018
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- Figure 24: Air care usage, by Hispanic origin and generation, October 2018
Changes in Air Care Usage
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- Nearly one third using air care more often
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- Figure 25: Frequency of air care usage, October 2018
- Usage frequency sheds light on core target groups
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- Figure 26: Using air care more often – Percent difference from average, by age, parental status, Hispanic origin, living location, October 2018
Reasons for Using Air Care More
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- Functional and experiential needs drive increased usage
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- Figure 27: Reasons for using air care products more often, October 2018
- Millennials, parents find most benefits to air care
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- Figure 28: Reasons for using air care products more often, by generation and parental status, October 2018
Reasons for Using Air Care Less
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- Health concerns, cost hinder air care usage
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- Figure 29: Reasons for using air care less, October 2018
Retailers Shopped for Air Fresheners and Essential Oils
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- Convenience drives choice of retailer
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- Figure 30: Marianos air care inventory (alongside household paper products), Oak Lawn (Chicago), November 2018
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- Figure 31: Retailers shopped for air fresheners and essential oils, October 2018
- 25-34-year-olds shop across channels
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- Figure 32: Retailers shopped for air fresheners and essential oils, by age, October 2018
Shopping for Candles
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- Candle purchases made at variety of retailers
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- Figure 33: Retailers shopped for candles, October 2018
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- Figure 34: TJMaxx & HomeGoods, Chicago, November 2018
- Younger shoppers shop around, older adults stick to traditional retailers
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- Figure 35: Select retailers shopped for candles, by age, October 2018
- Mass brands lead, but not by much
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- Figure 36: Candle brand preferences, by age, October 2018
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- Figure 37: Interest in mass candle brand improvements, by age, October 2018
- Change of season triggers purchases, particularly for those 45+
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- Figure 38: Bath & Body Works Email flyer, November 2018, Seasonal candle
- Figure 39: Candle purchase drivers and challenges, by age, October 2018
Interest in Scents
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- Food and beauty ingredients should migrate into air care
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- Figure 40: Interest in scents, October 2018
- 18-44’s open-minded when it comes to new scents
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- Figure 41: Interest in select scents, by age and gender, October 2018
Interest in Innovations
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- Innovations could provide additional usage occasions
- Cleaning the air could be the next “big thing”
- Health and wellness evolves beyond aromatherapy
- Smart technology will drive future growth of air care market
- Customization for a more personalized scent experience
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- Figure 42: Interest in innovations, October 2018
- Customizable and on-the-go air care drive appeal
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- Figure 43: Interest in customizable and portable air care innovations, have not used, but interested in trying, by age, October 2018
- 18-54’s, parents drive interest in tech innovations
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- Figure 44: Interest in select technology air care innovations – Have not used, but interested in trying, by age, parental status, October 2018
- Air care innovations have prime audience among urban dwellers
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- Figure 45: Interest in select innovations – Have used, by living location, October 2018
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 46: Total US retail sales and forecast of air care products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2013-23
- Figure 47: Total US retail sales and forecast of air care products, by segment, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 48: Total US retail sales of air care products, by segment, at current prices, 2016 and 2018
- Figure 49: Total US retail sales and forecast of candles, at current prices, 2013-23
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- Figure 50: Total US retail sales and forecast of home air fresheners, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 51: Total US retail sales and forecast of vehicle air fresheners, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 52: Total US retail sales of air care products, by channel, at current prices, 2013-18
- Figure 53: Total US retail sales of air care products, by channel, at current prices, 2016 and 2018
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 54: MULO sales of candles, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
- Figure 55: MULO sales of home air fresheners, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
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- Figure 56: MULO sales of car air fresheners, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 57: Air care product launches with aromatherapy claims, 2013-17
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- Figure 58: Households, by presence of related children, 2007-17
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