Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Growth accelerates but still muted
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- Figure 1: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK value sales of soap, bath and shower products, 2013-23
- Companies and brands
- Dove the big riser in shower and bath
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- Figure 2: Brand shares in the UK bath and shower market, year ending November 2018
- Baylis & Harding avoids soap category’s slide
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- Figure 3: Brand shares in the UK soap market, year ending November 2018
- The consumer
- Older men less invested in SBS
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- Figure 4: Usage of soap, bath and shower products, by gender, December 2018
- Gender gap in bath usage grows with age
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- Figure 5: Types of washing done, by gender and age, December 2018
- Youngest consumers spend longest in both bath and shower
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- Figure 6: Duration of washing, December 2018
- Older people more likely to shower in the morning
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- Figure 7: Time of washing, December 2018
- Men shower to de-stress and relax
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- Figure 8: Triggers for taking a shower, by gender, December 2018
- Baths seen as more pampering and relaxing than showers
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- Figure 9: Triggers for taking a bath, by gender, December 2018
- Men less likely to find handwashing important
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- Figure 10: Reasons for handwashing, by gender, December 2018
- Consumers focused on ingredients
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- Figure 11: Behaviours around shower, bath and handwashing, December 2018
- Consumers want to use less for the environment
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- Figure 12: Environmental behaviours around soap, bath and shower products, by gender, December 2018
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Differentiation the key for brands as cuts reach their limit
- The facts
- The implications
- Stressed young men may be a new growth market for bath brands
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Growth accelerates but still muted
- Shower product sales continue upward trend
- Supermarket domination creates price pressure
- Stress levels may see young people take more baths
- Climate change drives shower usage
- Environmental awareness could trigger future growth
Market Size and Forecast
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- Growth accelerates but still muted
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- Figure 13: UK retail value sales of soap, bath and shower products, at current and constant prices, 2013-23
- Forecast for growth limited
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- Figure 14: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK value sales of soap, bath and shower products, 2013-23
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- Shower product sales continue upward trend
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- Figure 15: UK retail value sales of soap, bath and shower products, by segment, 2016-18 (est)
- Bath product sales see stress-driven increase, but soap falls
Channels to Market
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- Supermarket domination creates price pressure
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- Figure 16: Retail value sales of soap, bath and shower products, by outlet type, 2017-18
- Discounters see their market share hold firm, online set to grow
- Sales through Boots fall after a tough year
Market Drivers
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- Aging population could impact market
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- Figure 17: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2013-23
- Stress levels may see young people take more baths
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- Figure 18: Stress experienced in the last 12 months, by age, February 2018
- Growth in employment creates need for speed in shower and bath
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- Figure 19: Employment trends (thousands), by gender, 2013-23
- Price wars now a permanent part of retail
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- Figure 20: Attitudes towards price and shopping at discounters, June 2018
- Rise of online retail could change shoppers’ habits
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- Figure 21: Type of store where the most money is spent in a typical month, September 2016, September 2017 and August 2018
- Climate change drives shower usage
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- Figure 22: Mean daily maximum temperature for July 2008, 2013 and 2018
- Environmental awareness could trigger future growth
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- Figure 23: Love Beauty and Planet shower gel range, 2018
- Shower heads could influence category more
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- Figure 24: Vitaclean HQ Vitamin C and Essential Oils filtered handheld shower head, 2019
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Dove the big riser in shower and bath
- Baylis & Harding avoids soap category’s slide
- Foam-type shower products see NPD rise
- SBS brands seek to catch vegan trend
- Differentiated products receive higher share of adspend
- Carex widely known but lacking differentiation
Market Share
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- Dove the big riser in shower and bath
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- Figure 25: Retail value sales of shower and bath products, by brand, years ending November 2017-18
- Baylis & Harding avoids soap category’s slide
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- Figure 26: Retail value sales of soap products, by brand, years ending November 2017-18
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Overall NPD continues to fall
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- Figure 27: New product development in the UK soap, bath and shower market, by product segment, 2015-18
- Foam-type shower products see NPD rise
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- Figure 28: New product launch examples of shower foam/mousse, 2018
- Figure 29: Imperial Leather Foamburst x Skinny Dip limited edition launch, May 2018
- SBS brands lean into unicorn trend
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- Figure 30: Carex Unicorn Magic limited edition, November 2018
- Brands seek to catch vegan wave …
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- Figure 31: New product development in the UK soap, bath and shower market, by launch type, 2015-18
- Figure 32: Examples of bar soap launches with ethical-animal claim, 2018
- … with ethical claims
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- Figure 33: Top 10 claims in the UK soap, bath and shower products market (based on 2018), 2017-18
- Figure 34: Examples of new product launches with environmentally friendly claims, 2018
- Stress drives aromatherapy claims
- Own-label NPD settles at a low level
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- Figure 35: New product development in the soap, bath and shower market, branded vs own-label, 2015-18
- Figure 36: Examples of own-label new product launches, 2018
- Unilever leads NPD due to size
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- Figure 37: New product development in the UK soap, bath and shower market, by ultimate company, 2018
- Figure 38: New product and variety/range extension examples, by top 5 ultimate companies, 2018
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- Figure 39: Love Beauty and Planet UK launch, July 2018
- DS3 offers a window into low-water future
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- Figure 40: DS3 product specs, 2019
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Brands continue to shed adspend
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- Figure 41: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on soap, bath and shower products, by category, 2015-18
- Unilever and Colgate-Palmolive back away from SBS advertising
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- Figure 42: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on soap, bath and shower products, by leading companies (based on 2018), 2017-18
- Johnson & Johnson leads reduced adspend totals
- Differentiated products receive higher share of adspend
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- Figure 43: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on soap, bath, and shower products, by leading brands and others, 2017 vs 2018
- TV advertising continues to fall
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- Figure 44: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on the soap, bath and shower products market, by media type, 2015-18
- Notable advertising and marketing activity in 2018
- Baylis & Harding targets men
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- Figure 45: Baylis & Harding’s partnership with Jenson Button, 2018
- Radox hits controversy with ‘male’ adjectives
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- Figure 46: Radox men’s shower gel range, 2018
- Figure 47: Dove limited edition bottles on ‘body diversity’, May 2017
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Brand Research
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- Brand map
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- Figure 48: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, December 2018
- Key brand metrics
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- Figure 49: Key metrics for selected brands, December 2018
- Baylis & Harding seen as worth paying more for
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- Figure 50: Attitudes, by brand, December 2018
- Mass-market brands all considered accessible
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- Figure 51: Brand personality – macro image, December 2018
- Soap brands suffering from an old-fashioned image
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- Figure 52: Brand personality – micro image, December 2018
- Brand analysis
- Simple resonates with higher earners
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- Figure 53: User profile of Simple, December 2018
- Carex widely known but lacking differentiation
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- Figure 54: User profile of Carex, December 2018
- Imperial Leather differentiated – but old-fashioned
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- Figure 55: User profile of Imperial Leather, December 2018
- Sanex struggling for differentiation
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- Figure 56: User profile of Sanex, December 2018
- Baylis & Harding set apart from the rest of the soap category
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- Figure 57: User profile of Baylis & Harding, December 2018
- Palmolive a hit with older consumers
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- Figure 58: User profile of Palmolive, December 2018
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Older men less invested in SBS
- Youngest consumers spend longest in both bath and shower
- Men shower to de-stress and relax
- Men less likely to see washing hands as important
- Consumers focused on ingredients
- Consumers want to use less for the environment
Usage of Soap, Bath and Shower Products
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- Older men less invested in SBS
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- Figure 59: Usage of soap, bath and shower products, by gender, December 2018
- Ease of use drives men’s 2-in-1 preference
Bathroom Routines
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- Gender gap in bath usage grows with age
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- Figure 60: Types of washing done, by gender and age, December 2018
- Youngest consumers spend longest in both bath and shower
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- Figure 61: Duration of washing, December 2018
- Older people more likely to shower in the morning
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- Figure 62: Time of washing, December 2018
Triggers for Shower and Bath Use
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- Men shower to de-stress and relax
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- Figure 63: Triggers for taking a shower, by gender, December 2018
- Women shower to shave
- Baths seen as more pampering and relaxing than showers
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- Figure 64: Triggers for taking a bath, by gender, December 2018
Reasons for Handwashing
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- Men less likely to find handwashing important
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- Figure 65: Reasons for handwashing, by gender, December 2018
- Older people believe more in handwashing
Behaviours around Shower, Bath and Handwashing
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- Consumers focused on scent …
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- Figure 66: Behaviours around shower, bath and handwashing, December 2018
- … as well as ingredients
- Personal hygiene gets more important with age
- Seasonal needs prompt routine changes
Environmental Behaviours around Soap, Bath and Shower Products
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- Consumer demand for sustainability not being fully met
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- Figure 67: Environmental behaviours around soap, bath and shower products, by gender, December 2018
- Lush gets naked
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- Figure 68: Lush’s solid product promotion, 2019
- Consumers want to use less plastic
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- Figure 69: Interest in reducing the number of products used and taking fewer showers/baths, by age, December 2018
- Refillables present an opportunity
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- Figure 70: Carex refill range banner, 2019
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- Forecast methodology
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