In value terms, the £459 million UK deodorants and bodysprays market has stagnated. Price promotions, falling frequency of use and a lack of above-the-line investment have also quelled growth for value sales.
However, a recession is unlikely to impact on the market. Despite a fall in employment, deodorant remains a staple toiletry. According to Mintel’s exclusive findings, during the last recession in the 1990s, the market for deodorants and bodysprays grew on the back of strong growth in bodysprays as people traded down from fragrances.
As the highest-volume users of deodorants, teens and young adults are the most promising demographic for deodorant and bodyspray manufacturers. The 15-24s typically spend around £14.11 per capita on deodorants and bodysprays each year, amounting to a total value worth of £110 million. This represents a quarter of the market’s total value sales in 2008. Despite this, less than 1% of all launches in 2008 specifically targeted under-25s.
New product development is the only way to keep the mature and stagnant deodorants market fresh and maintain market share. Innovation in smaller formats such as roll-ons is offering volume sales some insulation from declining frequency of use. Conscience brands and eco-friendly formats could also shape the future of the deodorants market.
For the bodyspray market, layering concepts are also set to drive volume sales as they encourage people to use more than one bodyspray at a time. Tapping into the fact that one in five men and one in six women use their deodorants or bodysprays as household freshener could also help drive volume use by increasing frequency of use.
Mintel forecasts continued but slower growth for the total deodorants and bodysprays market, 6% compared to 8% for the previous 5 years. By 2013 the market will have reached an estimated value of £485 million.
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