This report looks at the following areas:
- Overview and segment performance of China’s aircare market
- Analysis of the competitive landscape and key players in the aircare market in China
- Usage of aircare products and changes
- Consumers’ willingness to try new aircare products
- Consumer habits and purchasing behaviour regarding aircare products
- Consumers’ preferences for aircare scenarios and product scents
Consumers’ diverse usage habits and willingness to try emerging categories are expected to continue driving market development. Brands can explore growth potential through scenario-based design, emotional resonance and cross-category integration.
Daisy Tong, Senior Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
In this report, aircare products are categorised and calculated according to the following market segments:
- Spray air fresheners: non-aerosol spray or aerosol spray
- Continuous-release products: static aircare product (solid/gel/liquid), scented essential oils and reed/crystal diffusers, scented bricks/pendants, refills
- Scented candles (excluding unscented candles primarily used for light, and flameless candles using LED lights or bulbs to simulate a candle flame)/incense (an aromatic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt, except when primarily used for purposes other than room ambiance, such as for religious reasons or repelling insects)
- Car air fresheners: products designed and marketed specifically for the car (eg can be hung easily on the driving mirror, or fixed to the dashboard)
Excluded:
- Plug-in and battery-powered devices
- Fabric fresheners (for upholstery and clothing), eg sachets and potpourri
- Air treatment products: electronic devices (eg air purifiers, humidifiers, dehumidifiers) or consumer packaged goods with adsorption effects (eg activated carbon pack for aldehyde removal or odour removal)
Market size and segmentation are calculated based on sales through all retail channels, including direct-to-consumer, but exclude C2C channels (eg WeChat Business and Taobao).
In the consumer analysis, the above-mentioned aircare products are categorised as:
- Air fresheners: spray air fresheners, static air fresheners (solid/gel/liquid)
- Home scented products: scented essential oils, scent diffusers (eg reeds, crystals), scented pendants/bricks, refills, scented candles, incense
- Aircare products for enclosed spaces: fridge air fresheners/deodorisers, fragrance sachets, car air fresheners
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Executive summary
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- What you need to know
- The market
- The aircare market keeps growing
- Continuous-release products see steady growth, with scented candles/incense rising the fastest
- Graph 1: aircare market value sales, by segment, 2019-24 (fore)
- Graph 2: aircare market growth rate, by segment, 2019-24 (fore)
- Market factors
- Companies and brands
- Miniso and LIFEASE still occupy the top of the list, with overall brand concentration slightly declining and market competition further intensifying
- Marketing activities
- Plant-based and herbal, eco-friendly, toxin-free and recycling claims maintain their mainstream status in the global key markets, while antibacterial claims soar in the Chinese market
- Graph 3: top ten claims in aircare products, 2022-24
- Graph 4: share of the top 10 claims* in new aircare products in China in new products in different countries, 2024
- New product examples
- The consumer
- Usage of scented products for the home is rising, and choices are becoming more diverse
- Graph 5: aircare product usage in the past 12 months, 2022-24
- Willingness to try scented products for the home is strong; scented sachets/bricks, diffusers and essential oils are promising
- Graph 6: future spending plans, 2024
- Longevity is the core appeal, while functionality demands are significant
- Graph 7: factors of interest, 2024
- Usage habits are becoming more refined and diverse
- Graph 8: usage habits and purchasing behaviour, 2024
- Reduced spending is mainly due to safety concerns, scent experiences and poor efficacy
- Graph 9: reasons for reducing spending, 2024
- Consumer scent preferences vary depending on the scenario
- Graph 10: preferred scent styles by scenarios, 2024
- Floral scents are the most popular scent type, with woody and oriental scents being preferred in scented candles
- Graph 11: preferred scent types by product type, 2024
- Issues and insights
- What we think
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The market
- Market size and forecast
- The aircare market keeps growing
- Market segmentation
- Continuous-release products see steady growth, with scented candles/incense rising the fastest
- Graph 12: aircare market growth rate, by segment, 2019-24 (fore)
- Graph 13: aircare market value sales, by segment, 2019-24 (fore)
- Market factors
- Riding the olfactory economy to boost the development of the aircare market
- Emotional value becomes an important driver in consumer decision-making.
- Graph 14: future financial planning, 2019-24
- Consumers pay attention to their own living space and quality of life
- Graph 15: personal space and quality of life, 2023
- Favourable policies drive the upgrade of cultural consumption, bringing new growth opportunities for aircare products
- Home scented products have made it to consumers’ shopping lists
- Graph 16: BPC products bought in the last 12 months, 2023
- The usage rate of home scented products has increased, and the category choices have become more diverse.
- Graph 17: home scented product usage over the past 12 months, 2023-24
- The outdoor sports hype continues, driving products towards scenario-based development
- Graph 18: overall participation rate in outdoor sports, 2024
- Car trade-in + new energy vehicle subsidies rev up the car market, potentially bringing up the demand for car air fresheners
- Low brand concentration in the aircare market means both innovation opportunities and business challenges
- Graph 19: value sales market share of the top 10 aircare manufacturers, 2024
- The low price segment remains the main price range for aircare products
- Graph 20: share of aircare product volume sales on Tmall, by price range, 2022-24
- Graph 21: share of aircare product volume sales on Douyin, by price range, 2022-24
- Consumption tiers by price range have been formed in the scents/scented product market
- Graph 22: The sales share of scent/aromatherapy products, differentiated by price range, Douyin platform, 2022-24
- Graph 23: share of scented/aromatherapy product volume sales on Tmall by price range, 2022-24
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Companies and brands
- Market share
- Miniso and LIFEASE still occupy the top of the list, with overall brand concentration slightly declining and market competition further intensifying
- Miniso and Lifease continue to remain at the top of the list
- Domestic premium brands continue to strengthen their offline presence
- Air Funk increases its visibility through the emerging platform Douyin
- Marketing activities
- Further enhance product value through aroma customisation by occasion
- The blind box model increases engagement and the willingness to try new products
- Integrating original healing music enhances the emotional value and meaningfulness of the scented product
- Cross-category collaboration creates immersive product experiences
- New product trends
- Botanical/herbal, eco-friendly, toxin-free, recycling and related claims remain the top notes in key global markets
- Graph 24: share of the top 10 claims* in new aircare products in China in new products in different countries, 2024
- The Chinese market continues to focus on claims such as botanical/herbal, aromatherapy with the share of antibacterial claims rising rapidly
- Graph 25: top ten claims in aircare products, 2022-24
- Use plant-derived ingredients as sources of scent and convey mildness and safety
- Explore the efficacy of more plant ingredients; antibacterial effects are the primary benefit communicated
- Overseas new products: infused with skincare benefits to further enhance product functionality
- Aside from floral scents, green/herbal/woody, fresh and clean and outdoor scent combinations grow noticeably rapidly in share of new launches
- Graph 26: top 10 fragrance components in aircare products, 2021-24
- Graph 27: top 10 fragrance component groups in aircare products, 2021-24
- Incorporating Traditional Chinese Medicine into the product creates a unique aroma while also communicating its effects
- Achieve better scent diffusion through innovation in product design, materials and textures
- Expand the brand’s product matrix by linking scents across categories
- Develop products inspired by well-known IP
- Emphasise the story behind the craftsmanship through appearance design to impart emotional value and cultural significance to products
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The consumer
- Product usage and willingness to try new products
- Usage of scented products for the home is rising, and choices are becoming more diverse
- Graph 28: aircare product usage in the past 12 months, 2022-24
- More than 40% of respondents use 3-5 types of aircare products, and the highly specialised usage of products has become a common phenomenon
- Graph 29: types of aircare products used in the past 12 months, by age and monthly personal income, 2024
- Graph 30: types of aircare products used in the past 12 months, 2024
- Willingness to try scented products for the home is strong; scented sachets/bricks, diffusers and essential oils are promising
- Graph 31: future spending plans, 2024
- Brands can incorporate niche categories into gift sets to satisfy consumer desires to try new categories
- Longevity is the core appeal, while functionality demands are significant
- Graph 32: factors of interest, 2024
- Build on long-lasting claims with convenient usage and brand power to significantly stimulate interest in trying new products
- In addition to ensuring basic functionality, scented products for the home need improved designs and aesthetic value
- Graph 33: factors of interest, select options, by type of products used, 2024
- Aesthetic designs, added functionality and diverse scent options are more appealing to heavy users
- Graph 34: factors of interest, select options, by type of products used, 2024
- Usage habits and purchase behaviour
- Usage habits are becoming more refined and diverse
- Graph 35: usage habits and purchasing behaviour, 2024
- 30-39s are the core demographic for occasion-specific products + function upgrades
- Graph 36: usage habits and purchasing behaviour, by age, 2024
- High-income groups and Tier 1 consumers focus more on brand and experiences, while lower-tier cities hold growth potential
- Graph 37: usage habits and purchasing behaviour, by monthly personal income, 2024
- Graph 38: usage habits and purchasing behaviour, by city tier, 2024
- Multi-person households show potential for trading up, while solo dwellers prefer affordable brands
- Graph 39: usage habits and purchasing behaviour, by living situation, 2024
- Multi-category sets have the potential to enhance brand loyalty among heavy users
- Graph 40: usage habits and purchasing behaviour, by types of products used, 2024
- Reduced spending is mainly due to safety concerns, scent experiences and poor efficacy
- Graph 41: reasons for reducing spending, 2024
- Offline experiences also play an important role in consumer purchasing behaviour, especially among 25-29s, consumers in Tier 1 cities and high-income groups
- Graph 42: usage habits and purchasing behaviour – I always try aircare products (a) in-store before purchasing, 2024
- Brands create offline spaces that combine aesthetics and functionality to better establish emotional connections with consumers
- Scenarios and scent demands
- Rich aromas and innovative benefits drive consumers to try new products; brands need to meet their needs through differentiated strategies
- Graph 43: reasons for trying new products*, selected options, 2024
- Graph 44: reasons for reducing spending**, selected options, 2024
- Willingness to try new products based on scent is strong, and scenario-based needs drive product innovation
- Consumer scent preferences vary depending on the scenario
- Graph 45: preferred scent styles by scenarios, 2024
- Floral scents are the most popular scent type, with woody and oriental scents being preferred in scented candles
- Graph 46: preferred scent types by product type, 2024
- Discussions on social media about aircare products mostly revolve around indoor settings, such as inside cars, bedrooms and rooms
- In car scenarios invigorating and refreshing scent styles are more favoured, with a preference for floral, citrus and woody scents
- Graph 47: preferred scent styles by scenarios – car, by use of car air fresheners, 2024
- Graph 48: preferred scent types by product type – Air fresheners, by use of car air fresheners, 2024
- Relaxing and cosy scents are the styles that consumers most expect to have in the bedroom, and the popularity of scented products for sleep is rising
- Graph 49: goodnight scent-related* mentions on Xiaohongshu, 2024
- Graph 50: preferred scent styles by scenarios – bedroom, 2024
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Issues and insights
- Explore collaborations between home scented products and categories such as personal care and bodycare to enhance scenario-based and immersive experiences
- Connect room scents and personal care in scenarios through the commonality of scent experiences to achieve multi-category combination marketing
- Leverage the concept of Chinese-style wellness and launch aroma wellness packages
- Combine products with different functions and formats to create deeply contextualised experiences, enhancing product experience and brand stickiness
- Develop personalised scent solutions for home scenarios to meet consumers’ emotional and functional needs
- Create an immersive ‘holiday trip at home’ experience with the help of scents
- Landmark scented products enhance brand memory points
- Connect scents with personal moments such as solitude, focus and meditation to satisfy consumers’ pursuit of ritual sense and emotional value
- Create a sleep-inducing atmosphere through the aroma of essential oils
- Optimise the sleep-enhancing scent experiences with traditional wellness incense formulas
- Create an emotional healing space centred around the home
- The potential for scenario-based diversification and differentiation will continue to be unleashed
- Leverage portability, multi-sensory experiences and traditional cultural elements to evoke emotional resonance in consumers
- Portable format design removes scenario barriers and easily creates a sense of occasion
- Multi-sensory stimulation is the answer to consumer expectations for immersive experiences
- Drawing on local culture and pop culture symbols, brands can imbue products with more symbolic meaning and win the favour of consumers
- Combining elements of traditional culture with scented products to create contextual designs suitable for gifting
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Appendix – market size and forecast, research methodology and abbreviations
- Market size and forecast
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
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