Soap, Bath and Shower Products - UK - February 2019

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Products covered in this Report
Excluded
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
Growth accelerates but still muted
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
Figure 2: Brand shares in the UK bath and shower market, year ending November 2018
Baylis & Harding avoids soap category’s slide
Figure 3: Brand shares in the UK soap market, year ending November 2018
The consumer
Older men less invested in SBS
Figure 4: Usage of soap, bath and shower products, by gender, December 2018
Gender gap in bath usage grows with age
Figure 5: Types of washing done, by gender and age, December 2018
Youngest consumers spend longest in both bath and shower
Figure 6: Duration of washing, December 2018
Older people more likely to shower in the morning
Figure 7: Time of washing, December 2018
Men shower to de-stress and relax
Figure 8: Triggers for taking a shower, by gender, December 2018
Baths seen as more pampering and relaxing than showers
Figure 9: Triggers for taking a bath, by gender, December 2018
Men less likely to find handwashing important
Figure 10: Reasons for handwashing, by gender, December 2018
Consumers focused on ingredients
Figure 11: Behaviours around shower, bath and handwashing, December 2018
Consumers want to use less for the environment
Figure 12: Environmental behaviours around soap, bath and shower products, by gender, December 2018
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS 
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
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
Growth accelerates but still muted
Figure 13: UK retail value sales of soap, bath and shower products, at current and constant prices, 2013-23
Forecast for growth limited
Figure 14: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK value sales of soap, bath and shower products, 2013-23
Forecast methodology
MARKET SEGMENTATION
Shower product sales continue upward trend
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
Supermarket domination creates price pressure
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
Aging population could impact market
Figure 17: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2013-23
Stress levels may see young people take more baths
Figure 18: Stress experienced in the last 12 months, by age, February 2018
Growth in employment creates need for speed in shower and bath
Figure 19: Employment trends (thousands), by gender, 2013-23
Price wars now a permanent part of retail
Figure 20: Attitudes towards price and shopping at discounters, June 2018
Rise of online retail could change shoppers’ habits
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
Figure 22: Mean daily maximum temperature for July 2008, 2013 and 2018
Environmental awareness could trigger future growth
Figure 23: Love Beauty and Planet shower gel range, 2018
Shower heads could influence category more
Figure 24: Vitaclean HQ Vitamin C and Essential Oils filtered handheld shower head, 2019
COMPANIES AND BRANDS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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
Dove the big riser in shower and bath
Figure 25: Retail value sales of shower and bath products, by brand, years ending November 2017-18
Baylis & Harding avoids soap category’s slide
Figure 26: Retail value sales of soap products, by brand, years ending November 2017-18
LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
Overall NPD continues to fall
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
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
Figure 30: Carex Unicorn Magic limited edition, November 2018
Brands seek to catch vegan wave …
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
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
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
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
Figure 39: Love Beauty and Planet UK launch, July 2018
DS3 offers a window into low-water future
Figure 40: DS3 product specs, 2019
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING ACTIVITY
Brands continue to shed adspend
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
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
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
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
Figure 45: Baylis & Harding’s partnership with Jenson Button, 2018
Radox hits controversy with ‘male’ adjectives
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
Brand map
Figure 48: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, December 2018
Key brand metrics
Figure 49: Key metrics for selected brands, December 2018
Baylis & Harding seen as worth paying more for
Figure 50: Attitudes, by brand, December 2018
Mass-market brands all considered accessible
Figure 51: Brand personality – macro image, December 2018
Soap brands suffering from an old-fashioned image
Figure 52: Brand personality – micro image, December 2018
Brand analysis
Simple resonates with higher earners
Figure 53: User profile of Simple, December 2018
Carex widely known but lacking differentiation
Figure 54: User profile of Carex, December 2018
Imperial Leather differentiated – but old-fashioned
Figure 55: User profile of Imperial Leather, December 2018
Sanex struggling for differentiation
Figure 56: User profile of Sanex, December 2018
Baylis & Harding set apart from the rest of the soap category
Figure 57: User profile of Baylis & Harding, December 2018
Palmolive a hit with older consumers
Figure 58: User profile of Palmolive, December 2018
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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 
Older men less invested in SBS
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
Gender gap in bath usage grows with age
Figure 60: Types of washing done, by gender and age, December 2018
Youngest consumers spend longest in both bath and shower
Figure 61: Duration of washing, December 2018
Older people more likely to shower in the morning
Figure 62: Time of washing, December 2018
TRIGGERS FOR SHOWER AND BATH USE 
Men shower to de-stress and relax
Figure 63: Triggers for taking a shower, by gender, December 2018
Women shower to shave
Baths seen as more pampering and relaxing than showers
Figure 64: Triggers for taking a bath, by gender, December 2018
REASONS FOR HANDWASHING 
Men less likely to find handwashing important
Figure 65: Reasons for handwashing, by gender, December 2018
Older people believe more in handwashing
BEHAVIOURS AROUND SHOWER, BATH AND HANDWASHING
Consumers focused on scent …
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
Consumer demand for sustainability not being fully met
Figure 67: Environmental behaviours around soap, bath and shower products, by gender, December 2018
Lush gets naked
Figure 68: Lush’s solid product promotion, 2019
Consumers want to use less plastic
Figure 69: Interest in reducing the number of products used and taking fewer showers/baths, by age, December 2018
Refillables present an opportunity
Figure 70: Carex refill range banner, 2019
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Abbreviations
Consumer research methodology
Forecast methodology