Europeans Fall Behind on Mouthwash Usage 13/10/2000 Americans both wash their mouths out and floss their teeth more than Europeans. These findings are based upon new data from the TNS American Toiletries and Cosmetics Database (ATCD), which compares usage of products between the US and five key European markets - France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain. The research shows that over a quarter of adults in the US use a mouthwash, compared with just 12% of those in key European markets. Moreover, while almost 1 in 4 Americans floss their teeth at least once a week, the average for key European markets is around 1 in 14 (7%). Again wearing make-up is more common amongst American women than amongst Europeans. For example, more than 8 out of 10 American women apply make-up in excess of 25 times a week - or over three-and-a-half times a day - compared with 71% of British women. Other key findings include: Over three-quarters of American girls aged 11-16 use some form of make-up compared with a little over half (55%) of girls of a similar age in key European markets Facial washes and gels are used by more than a quarter of the US population, in contrast to just 15% in Great Britain and 13% in Germany. Shower product use in the US is the lowest of the countries surveyed at 39%, in contrast to 55% in Great Britain and 80% in Germany and Spain According to Andy Parkinson, Personal Care Panel (PCP) Director, Taylor Nelson Sofres, "Clearly, factors such as culture and climate go some way towards explaining the differences in product usage between the US and European marketplaces. However, it is interesting that certain niche products such as mouthwashes and dental floss have not reached the same usage levels in Europe as those in the US. Similarly, the obvious success of dedicated shower products in Europe has not been mirrored in America to date. This suggests that in spite of the trend towards global branding of products, usage of toiletries and cosmetics products is still a relatively regional phenomenon. If marketers are to exploit existing and future opportunities they need to have a thorough understanding of local market needs." The American Toiletries and Cosmetics Database is an international database which records the usage by consumers of toiletries and cosmetics through a weekly diary and a questionnaire. It reports the number of people and the number of occasions of use of different processes, product types and brands, allowing analysis and tracking of trends. Research has been undertaken continuously since October 1999 amongst a representative sample of 4,000 women and 1,000 men every 12 months.