The use of suncare products has experienced a slight increase compared to last year and sits at 78% of Germans. Most commonly, consumers use SPF 30-49, followed by SPF 50+, emphasising how conversations around the dangers of sun exposure have been successful in warning consumers in recent years.
However, there is still work to do, as 65% of Germans agree that a moderate amount of sun exposure is healthy, and 51% agree that they should be applying more sun protection than they currently do.
A significant number of consumers only use sunscreen occasionally on their face (21%) or body (27%). To boost usage, provide them with targeted products and engage at occasions like sports events.
Parents are keen suncare users and are especially interested in how effectively suncare products protect from the sun. Price is less of a priority for them, and brands have the opportunity to reassure parents of the health benefits of their products.
Sunless tanning products or services are used by 30% of consumers and are gaining popularity. This growth reflects increased awareness of the risks associated with sun tanning, leading many to choose sun-free self-tanning alternatives. It presents an opportunity for brands to offer products that mimic the sun’s effects, such as mood-boosting benefits, without the harmful exposure.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Usage of sun protection and aftersun products, with a slight uptick compared to last year
- SPF levels used in the last 12 months, with a focus on SPF 30-49
- Location and time of suncare application, with a focus on face protection
- Usage of sunless tanning products or services in the last 12 months, which saw an increase from the previous year
- Concerns when using suncare products on children, with parents placing importance on efficacy of protection
- Behaviours towards suncare/sunless tanning products/services
- Launch activity in sun protection, aftersun and sunless tanning
Suncare brands can entice occasional users with suitable formats, reassure parents of health benefits and heighten tanning appeal through mood-boosting qualities.
Henrike Philipp, Research Analyst
Market Definitions
This Report examines the German suncare market, including sun protection, aftersun and sunless/self-tanning. For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
- sun protection products that protect the skin against UVA/UVB rays in any format
- aftersun products that help soothe and restore the skin aftersun exposure in any format
- sunless/self-tanning products in any format
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
- Market size & forecast
- Outlook
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Help sporadic sunscreen users to broaden their usage occasions and product repertoires
- Emphasise the importance of daily SPF application
- Graph 1: time of sun protection application, 2024
- Protect occasional users from expired products and sunburn
- Meet occasional users at outdoor events
- Maximise convenience with different formats
- Reassure parents about the health benefits of suncare
- Price ranks low amongst parents’ concerns
- Reassure parents of the health benefits of products
- Heighten engagement with tanning products through mood boosting qualities
- Usage of tanning products is low but rising
- Infuse sunless tanning products with mood boosting qualities
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CONSUMER
- Usage of sun protection and aftersun products
- Usage of suncare products has seen a slight uptick
- Graph 2: usage of suncare products in the last 12 months, 2023 vs 2024
- Sun protection serum has seen a big increase due to skinfication trend
- Haircare with SPF is stagnating in usage
- Suncare usage declines with age
- Graph 3: suncare products used in the last 12 months – NET, by age, 2024
- SPF levels used in the last 12 months
- Consumers tend to use SPF 30-49
- Graph 4: suncare SPF levels used in the last 12 months, 2023 vs 2024
- Provide men with more products with higher SPF levels
- SPF usage in launches goes beyond suncare
- Graph 5: launches in BPC with SPF in product description, excluding suncare, 2024
- Location of sun protection application
- Germans are thorough in their application of sunscreen
- Graph 6: location of sun protection application, by gender, 2024
- Time of sun protection application
- Consumers apply sunscreen to their face more regularly
- Graph 7: time of sun protection application, 2024
- Occasional users are less likely to replace expired products
- Repertoires are related to frequency of usage
- Graph 8: time of sun protection application by repertoire of sun protection products, 2024
- Usage of sunless tanning products or services in the last 12 months
- Usage of self-tan has increased compared to the previous year
- Graph 9: usage of sunless tanning products or services in the last 12 months, 2023 vs 2024
- At-home sunless tanning products have seen a rise
- Look towards hybrid workers as group to target for sunless tanning at home
- Concerns when using suncare products on children
- Parents’ main concern is efficacy
- Graph 10: concerns when using suncare products on children, 2024
- Parents are very engaged users of sun protection
- German parents spare no expense when it comes to their kids
- Application process plays into efficacy
- Behaviours towards suncare/sunless tanning products/services
- Skinification has arrived in suncare too
- Graph 11: behaviours towards sunless tanning products/services, 2024
- Explore mood boosting in sunless tanning products
- Moderate sun exposure is seen as healthy by a majority of Germans
- Graph 12: behaviours towards suncare products/services, 2024
- Makeup without SPF is not deemed as sufficient for sun protection
- Germans look for products for sensitive skin
- Graph 13: behaviours towards suncare/sunless tanning products/services, 2024
- 2024 has seen a boost in products with sensitive skin claims
- Ingredients are treated with scepticism
- Finances influence the replacement of expired products
- Motivate consumers to apply more sun protection than they currently do
- Graph 14: behaviours towards suncare/sunless tanning products/services
- City dweller parents can be targeted through sense of guilt
- People aren’t familiar with the difference between mineral and chemical sunscreen
- Consumers prioritising broad-spectrum sunscreen are cautious
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INNOVATION
- Sun protection
- Claims in sun protection are dominated by ethical claims
- Graph 15: launches in sun protection, by top 10 claims, 2022-24
- Prestige suncare is on an upward journey
- Graph 16: beauty price positioning of sun protection products, 2022-24
- Average price of sun protection products is on the rise
- Private label is on par with branded products in terms of innovativeness
- International inspiration: sunscreen launches in Asia use encapsulated UV filters
- International inspiration: Australian products offering high levels of protection
- Refillable sunscreen is still rare
- Claims in suncare for children centre around skin health
- Graph 17: select claims in sun protection products for babies, toddlers and children (5-12), 2020-24
- Sunscreen aimed specifically at children
- Sun protection for hands and nails
- Programme to introduce free sunscreen at events
- Aftersun
- Top claim in aftersun centres around moisturising/hydrating
- Graph 18: claims in aftersun products, 2020-24
- Launches in aftersun focus on soothing properties
- Sunless tanning
- Claims in sunless tanning
- Graph 19: claims in sunless tanning launches, 2020-24
- Sunless tanning products focus on skin health and anti-ageing
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MARKET
- Market drivers
- Ageing population will drive the suncare category
- Germans are facing rising temperatures and extreme weather events
- Graph 20: annual average daily temperature, 2003-23
- Germans continue to prioritise travel
- Skin cancer numbers have increased
- Concerns about harmful ingredients could hinder uptake of suncare
- Market size
- Market growth has slowed in recent years
- Graph 21: value market size for suncare, 2020-24
- Market forecast
- Mintel predicts slow growth
- The suncare category is predicted to grow slowly but steadily
- Market segmentation
- Self-tan saw a boost in 2024
- Market share
- Suncare market shares largely unchanged
- Own label wins shares over brands
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APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations
- CHAID – tree output
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
- Methodology – market size and forecast
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market size – value
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value
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