Affluent consumers drive haircare market in UK, says report

Affluent people seem to be driving UK’s haircare market, finds a new report by UK-based research firm Canadean – Health & Beauty.

According to the report ‘Consumer Trends in the Haircare Market in the UK, 2011’, the affluent consumers have held a leading 43.5% market value share, followed only by moderate income at 22.5%.

Further, the report found Britishers to be driven more by better value for money when it comes to choosing a haircare product.

Nearly 25% of the consumers stated its influence over their overall haircare, while individualism has closely followed with 24.6% in influencing the consumers.

Among the age groups, older consumers have accounted for major market value share of close to 22% in 2011, while upper secondary students held the lead in education groups with more than 27% share.

Female consumers have outpaced males with a significant 65% share in the UK market, which had major base in urban areas, restricting rural presence to a mere 26.5%.

Canadean’s analysis from busy lives perspective revealed that the UK consumers, who are having a poor time of only 1 and 3 hours of leisure time per day, led the market with up to 30% share, followed by those having rich time at over 27%.

Private label products were found to be making a gradual penetration into the UK haircare market. Two out of the five categories have managed a double digit sales share in 2011, marking growing presence.

Among the segments, shampoo had shown a clear edge over other groups with a leading market value share of 29% in 2011.

Hair colourants, styling agents, and conditioner demonstrated a neck-to-neck performance, representing 24%, 23% and 22% respectively. Perms & relaxers, however, were trailing at the bottom with a mere 2.2%.

In terms of volume, hair colourants held the top position with 40.2% share, restricting shampoo to just over 30%. Conditioner stood at 17.3%, followed by styling agents at 8.92% and perms & relaxers at 3.4%.

The report also provides retailer volume share for each category alongside matrix of switching behaviour in the second half of 2011.

Click here for more details of the report.