In the context of slowing population growth, the babycare market is accelerating its transformation from large-scale expansion to value-driven growth.
Daisy Tong, Senior Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
This Report includes baby shampoo, baby soap, baby shower gel, baby powder, baby lotion/cream, baby suncare, baby oil, baby nappy cream, baby insect repellent and baby handwash/liquid soap.
It excludes baby nappies and wipes, feeding and food preparation accessories.
The demographic age coverage includes babies and toddlers aged 0-3 years old.
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Executive summary
- Definitions
- What you need to know
- Market size forecast for China’s baby personal care market
- Market factors
- Companies and brands
- Consumer demand and focus of innovation
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The market
- Market size and forecast
- Babycare market to grow by 4.2% in 2025 and maintain steady growth in the future
- Graph 1: best- and worst-case forecast of retail sales value of baby personal care, 2020-30
- Market segments
- Baby skincare leads growth, with basic cleansing and insect repellent categories remaining unchanged
- Graph 2: baby personal care market value, by segment, 2021-25
- Graph 3: annual growth rate of baby personal care market value, by segment, 2021-25
- Market factors
- Declining births and low fertility intentions limiting expansion of the market
- Graph 4: number of births and year-on-year growth, 2014-24
- Graph 5: plans to have more children, 2019-25
- Brand stickiness developed during infant stage supports brand equity throughout childhood
- Graph 6: % of consumers who choose the same brand they bought when their children were babies when purchasing products for children aged 4-12, 2025
- Policies and regulation drive standardisation and high-quality development in the children’s cosmetics market
- Nine in ten parents have increased budgets, driving a structural upgrade in babycare products
- Graph 7: purchasing plans for baby and children’s products – baby and children’s care products (a), 2025
- Core brands providing stability, with emerging brands and differentiated products driving incremental growth
- Higher-priced skincare driving premiumisation, basic cleansing category holding onto its core consumer base
- Graph 8: share of volume sales of baby skincare products by price range on Tmall, 2024-25
- Graph 9: share of volume sales of babycare products by price range on Tmall, 2024-25
- Specialised needs provide incremental growth, with suncare’s high average order values supporting upward momentum
- Graph 10: purchase rates for baby suncare products, 2021-25
- Graph 11: ‘suncare’ (防晒) mentions and engagement in discussions about babies* on Douyin and Xiaohongshu, 2024-25
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Competitive landscape
- Tmall rankings relatively stable with some changes and emerging brands rising rapidly
- Significant changes in the rankings on Douyin, with Chinese emerging brands particularly active
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The consumer
- Penetration of core categories peaking; new growth will come from functional innovation, experience upgrades and product sets
- Penetration of core categories remains high, suncare segment offers development potential
- Graph 12: penetration rates for baby skincare products, 2023-25
- Graph 13: penetration rates for baby cleansing products, 2023-25
- Category penetration varies across age ranges; functional and scenario-based needs change as children grow
- Graph 14: penetration of baby skincare products, by age of child, 2025
- Graph 15: penetration of baby cleansing products, by age of child, 2025
- Premiumise basic cleansing categories; drive value growth in advanced categories with age-based education and innovation
- Graph 16: most frequently purchased price segment for babycare sub-categories, 2025
- Functional convergence leading to experiential upgrades in the cleansing category
- Gift sets help standardise babycare routines, with try-outs of multiple categories enhancing long-term repurchase potential
- Diverse range of baby skin issues driving improvements in product functions; safety and expertise are key to competitiveness
- Babies’ sensitive skin is fostering a blue ocean in gentle functional care
- Graph 17: baby skin issues, 2025
- Infant skin issues change as children grow; care needs becoming more specialised and age-targeted
- Graph 18: baby skin issues (by age of child), TGI*, 2025
- Rational assessment coexists alongside brand dependence; use ingredients and efficacy to gain trust premium
- Graph 19: attitudes towards choosing babycare products, 2025
- Scenario-driven care needs provide a strategic entry point for functional products
- Accurately address pain points to aid decision-making for parents
- Safety and expertise build trust, while plant-based concepts spur demand for novelty
- Graph 20: attitudes towards choosing babycare products, 2025
- Scientific endorsement and efficacy validation enhance a brand’s professional image
- Combine plant ingredients with new technologies to create an effective, safe and gentle user experience
- Highlight the benefits of biomimetic and natural ingredients to create differentiation
- Baby suncare market is still in early development stage; safety, convenience and innovative formats offer opportunities to break through
- Baby suncare market is still developing demand; diversification of products will support growth of the category
- Graph 21: the most commonly used baby sunscreen product formats, 2025
- Graph 22: proportion of new suncare products in baby facial care, 2020-25
- Trend towards age-specific baby suncare, adapting to changing needs as babies grow with innovative formats and portable designs
- Graph 23: the most commonly used baby sunscreen product formats, by age of child, TGI, 2025
- Parents focus on multiple aspects of suncare: effectiveness, comfort and convenience are the core demands
- Graph 24: factors for choosing baby sunscreen products, select options, 2025
- A combination of effectiveness, convenience and professional endorsement can reach the majority of parents
- Suncare product selection factors differ based on format; targeted product optimisation will help brands stand out in niche segments
- Graph 25: factors for choosing baby sunscreen products, by the most commonly used formats (select options), 2025
- Focus on safe protection, comfort and multifunctionality to meet the range of parents’ needs
- Use characteristics of different textures to differentiate and innovate and for scenario-based marketing
- Key reasons for low penetration of baby suncare: safety concerns, sun protection awareness and usage experience
- Graph 26: reasons for not using suncare products, 2025
- Inorganic sunscreen and testing on sensitive skin in baby suncare claims build strong trust and perceptions of safety
- Products designed for eczema-prone skin directly address allergy and irritation concerns and boost willingness to use
- Adopt a refined marketing strategy focusing on a narrative of professional expertise, based on channel and decision-making preferences
- From product seeding to decision-making, information channels differ in breadth and depth of influence
- Consumers value both online and offline options; future landscape will integrate ecommerce + content + stores
- Graph 27: purchase channels, 2025*
- Shopping habits determine information touchpoints; a refined marketing approach needs to consider differences in decision-making across different channels
- Graph 28: consumers’ preferred information channels for babycare products (by purchase channel), TGI*, 2025
- Immersive traceability and professional endorsements help build deeper trust of a brand’s scientific narrative
- Cultivate the education-companionship feedback mechanism to strengthen competitiveness on professional trust
- Immersive offline experiences combined with online interactions amplify brand reach and conversion efficiency
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New product trends
- In China, facial skincare has a higher proportion, while bodycare has a higher share in UK and US markets
- Graph 29: share of new products, by babycare sub-category, 2024-25
- Graph 30: share of new products, by babycare sub-category, 2020-25
- New baby soap, bath and shower products in global key markets: focus on sensitive skin and natural ingredients in Japan and South Korean; US and UK lead in environmental and ethical claims
- Graph 31: popular claims in baby soap, bath and shower products, 2024-25
- New baby soap, bath and shower products in China: botanical/herbal and moisturising/hydrating claims maintain a high share; steady growth in ease of use
- Graph 32: popular claims in baby soap, bath and shower products, 2020-25
- New baby bodycare products in the global key markets: gentleness and safety remain key demands
- Graph 33: popular claims in baby bodycare products, 2024-25
- New bodycare products: sensitive skin claims continue to rise, with time/speed and ease of use claims showing stable growth
- Graph 34: popular claims in baby bodycare products, 2020-25
- New facial skincare products: moisturising/hydrating and botanical/herbal still dominate; sensitive skin claims now commonplace
- Graph 35: popular claims in baby face/neck care products, 2020-25
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Appendix – market size and forecast, research methodology and abbreviations
- Market size and forecast
- Methodology
- Methodology: TURF analysis
- Abbreviations
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