Daily Research News Online no. 3007

Here Comes the Groom

March 19 2004

Two short items on the personal care market: Datamonitor reveals that British women claim to spend less time grooming themselves than British men - an average of 2.5 hours per week, versus 3.1 (and rising) for men; and BIGresearch finds American personal care shoppers grumbling on their way up the aisle.

Datamonitor says that younger men are 'increasingly experimenting with new personal care regimes and products', and almost half of British men admit to considering their skin very important.

The report examines trends affecting the European and US market for personal care products over the next five years. It points out that traditionally men have considered excessive attention to their personal appearance as a sign of effeminacy and therefore felt uncomfortable browsing the personal care shelves of a supermarket or department store - they often leave without making a purchase [see below for separate US findings relating to this].

According to Lawrence Gould, Datamonitor consumer analyst and author of the report, 'the anticipated rapid revolution in male personal care ... has not really materialised, but there is undoubtedly a steady, gradual shift in male attitudes and grooming habits'.

Men's usage of personal care by product market, Europe and US, 2003-2008 (m and US$m)
Market	2003(m)	2008(m)	2003 (US$m)	2008 (US$m)	CAGR 2003-2008
Skincare	2,352	2,798	2,663	3,167	3.5%
Personal Hygiene	6,072	7,131	6,874	8,073	3.3%
Haircare	7,877	9,392	8,917	10,632	3.6%
Fragrances	4,007	4,685	4,536	5,303	3.2%
Overall	20,307	24,005	22,989	27,176	3.4%
NB: Make-up has not been included as male usage of make-up is negligible. Source: Datamonitor

The company's web site is at www.datamonitor.com .

In another piece of related research, one third of respondents in a US poll by consumer intelligence firm BIGresearch agreed that improvements could be made to personal care and hygiene aisles to make it easier to find the products they want. The Consumer Intentions & Actions Survey polled more than 8,038 consumers between March 3 and 10.

'Consumers have many options when it comes to personal hygiene products and where they can be purchased', said BIGresearch's President Gary Drenik. The best thing a retailer can do is make things clear and simple to a shopper', Drenik said. 'When consumers are forced to search for what they need, it's likely they won't make any purchase at all'.

More findings are available at www.bigresearch.com

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.