The cost-of-living crisis is influencing German parents of children aged 0-4, as 50% worry that this will make affording children’s products difficult, which increases the pull towards own-label products or reusables. However, despite rising costs, parents are ready to invest in their children.
Wet wipes lead purchases and toiletries are the most bought personal care products, closely followed by disposable nappies. Convenience is key, especially around nappies, and trumps environmental concerns.
Resonating with almost half of parents, skin health claims are important but only 15% look towards microbiome-friendly claims. There is scope to educate about the skin microbiome to improve skin conditions experienced by babies/children. For personal care products, parents look for calming properties and sleep improvement, refillables and fun-to-use products.
The most common skin conditions experienced by children aged 0-4 are diaper rash, cradle cap and heat rash. Parents facing these conditions often seek medical solutions, which highlights their trust in medication, opening opportunities for derma brands.
Key Issues Analysed in this Report
- The short-, medium- and long-term impact of inflation on babies’ and children’s BPC products including changing usage habits and buying intentions
- Purchased products in the last 12 months, with wet wipes, toiletries and disposable nappies coming out on top
- Important claims for purchase of baby and children’s personal care products, nappies and wipes, with focus on skin health
- Attitudes towards baby and children’s personal care products, nappies and wipes
- Interest in baby and children’s personal care products, with preference for calming products, refillability and fun usage
- Skin conditions, with diaper rash being the most common condition
- Treatments of skin conditions, with focus on different types of medication
- Launch activity and innovation
Despite declining birth rates and savvy shopping behaviours, brands can foster growth by focusing on skin health and convenience.
Henrike Philipp, Research Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- The five-year outlook for babies’ and children’s BPC
- Market context
- Children are a precious commodity
- Parents pinch pennies due to high cost of living
- Mintel predicts
- Market size and forecast for personal care products and wet wipes
- Slow growth is forecasted for babies’ and children’s personal care and wipes market
- Market growth driven by premium baby care and sustainability trends
- Market size and forecast for disposable nappies
- Slight growth predicted for disposable nappies market
- Mintel predicts continued slow growth
- Opportunities
- Marry up convenience and sustainability
- Expand education on skin health and microbiome
- Focus on DEI in babies’ and children’s BPC products
- The competitive landscape
- Market share for wet wipes
- Graph 1: market share for wet wipes, 2023
- Market share for disposable nappies
- Graph 2: market share for disposable nappies, 2023
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MARKET DRIVERS
- The German economy
- 2024 is expected to be more challenging than initially predicted
- Graph 3: key economic data, in real terms, 2019-25
- The inflation rate is slowly bouncing back to more conventional levels
- Inflation is still the key factor affecting consumers’ finances…
- …confidence and expenditure
- Graph 4: financial confidence index, 2022-24
- The impact of the economy on babies’ and children’s BPC
- Parents are worried about their future financial situation, but the majority are okay
- Graph 5: financial situation of parents of children aged 18 and under, % of respondents, 2024
- Birth rate in Germany dips by 7.6%
- Graph 6: live births, 2017-22
- The average age of mums has been rising steadily
- Graph 7: average birth age of mothers, 2012-22
- Utilise mom-fluencers…
- …but don’t forget about the fathers
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Purchased products in the last 12 months
- Toiletries are the most bought personal care products
- Graph 8: purchased personal care products in the last 12 months, by age of youngest child, 2024
- Parents prioritise their children’s oral health
- Encourage handwashing amongst younger children
- Incorporate skincare into SBS and shampoo
- Opportunities for calming products in baby oil/lotion
- Tackle controversies around baby powder
- Hone in on the importance of sun protection
- Focus on convenience of disposables…
- Graph 9: purchased products in the last 12 months, by age of youngest child, 2024
- …but don’t forget about sustainability
- Rising cost of living could push parents towards reusable nappies
- Parents of toddlers have bigger product repertoires than other parent groups
- Graph 10: repertoire of babies’ and children’s BPC products used, by age of youngest child, 2024
- Important claims for purchase of baby and children’s personal care products, nappies and wipes
- Skin health is at forefront of parents’ minds
- Graph 11: important claims for purchase of baby and children’s personal care products, nappies and wipes, 2024
- Claims for skin health have been influential in purchase
- Interest in skin-friendly claims is high but microbiome care needs more education
- Stress the importance of correct pH value for babies’ skin
- Interest in natural products amongst parents is high but not yet reflected in launch activity
- Increase on-the-go offers for parents
- Attitudes towards baby and children’s personal care products, nappies and wipes
- Recommendations from friends and family are key…
- Graph 12: attitudes towards baby and children’s personal care products, nappies and wipes, 2024
- …and brands should utilise them to improve acceptance of recommendations on social media
- Price concerns increase the pull of private label
- Stress cost-saving benefits offered by subscription services
- Graph 13: attitudes towards baby and children’s personal care products, nappies and wipes, 2024
- Promote baby care for usage amongst adults
- Convenience trumps environmental concerns
- Graph 14: attitudes towards baby and children’s personal care products, nappies and wipes, 2024
- Support babies with sensory issues
- Interest in baby and children’s personal care products
- Parents are most interested in calming personal care products
- Graph 15: interest in baby and children’s personal care products (excluding baby wipes, nappies or training pants), 2024
- Combine calming products with sleep improvement
- Promote refillables from a cost-saving angle and push for more waterless products
- Entertain children with DIY at home
- Engage with more consumers through calming but fun products
- Cater towards children with specific hair textures and skin colours
- Skin conditions
- Two thirds of babies and children experience skin conditions
- Graph 16: skin conditions, by age of youngest child, 2024
- Offer relief for diaper rash, the most common condition
- Take inspiration from scalp care in adult products to deal with cradle cap
- Offer preventative or treating solutions for heat rash
- Parents of eczema and dermatitis sufferers tend to avoid certain ingredients
- Spots and milia are less of a problem for consumers
- Treatments of skin conditions
- Treatments of skin conditions rely on medicine
- Graph 17: treatments of skin conditions, 2024
- Trust in medicine surpasses all other options
- Parents changing laundry products opens up opportunities for laundry brands
- Sway users of homemade remedies with clear communication…
- …and help those avoiding ingredients
- Use AI to help with diagnosis and/or treatment options
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LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
- SBS products and nappies dominate launches
- Graph 18: launches in the babies’ and children’s personal care, nappies and wipes market, by category, 2018-23
- Personal care launch activity
- Claims around skin health and the environment have increased significantly, reflecting focus points for parents
- Graph 19: launches in the babies’ and children’s personal care market, by claim, 2018-23
- Botanical/herbal claims are popular in personal care products
- Brands are still strong, but own-label is catching up
- Graph 20: top 10 companies in personal care launches for babies and children, by ultimate company, 2018-23
- Premium baby care caters to well-situated parents
- Take inspiration from SBS for refills in babies’ and children’s personal care products
- Put more emphasis on suncare for younger children
- Look towards Scandi style for inspiration
- International inspiration for extensive baby range
- Use changing textures as a way to bring fun to personal care routines
- Nappies launch activity
- Environmental claims in nappies have increased
- Graph 21: top claims in nappies, 2018-23
- Procter & Gamble leads disposable nappy launches
- Procter & Gamble leads disposable nappy launches
- Graph 22: launches in nappies, by ultimate company, 2023
- Innovate in biodegradable nappies
- Appeal to parents who want to help the environment without sacrificing convenience
- Wipes launch activity
- Wipes claims focus on skin health and the environment
- Graph 23: top claims in wipes, 2018-2023
- Bridge the gap between wipes and nappies
- Wipe launches centre around naturalness
- Advertising and marketing activity
- dm offers livestreams to give advice to parents
- Drugstores convince with shop-in-shop concept
- Pampers Harmonie
- HiPP Babysanft
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MARKET SHARE
- Market share for wet wipes is dominated by own label
- Procter & Gamble dominates disposable nappies market
- Own labels are gaining popularity in wet wipes and disposable nappies
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MARKET SIZE, SEgmentation AND FORECAST
- Market forecast for personal care products and wet wipes
- Personal care products and wet wipes see growth through sustainable materials and premium care
- Market forecast for disposable nappies
- The disposable nappy market will be influenced by birth rates and sustainability
- Market segmentation
- All segments in wet wipes and personal care have seen an increase
- 2023 saw increases for disposable nappy segments
- Price increases dominate all categories
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APPENDIX
- Appendix – products covered, abbreviations, consumer research methodology and language usage
- Products covered in this Report
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
- Appendix – market size and central forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market size – value of personal care products and wet wipes
- Market size – value of disposable nappies
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – personal care products and wet wipes
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – disposable nappies
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