UK Aircare Market Analysis
The UK Aircare Market, valued at over £620 million in 2025, has recovered from a decline in 2022, driven by increased consumer usage, demand for affordable options,and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. Looking ahead, the Aircare Market is forecast to grow above 11% in the foreseeable future, with candles maintaining dominance and own-label products gaining aircare market share due to their competitive pricing and enhanced quality.
UK Aircare Market Trends
Consumers are seeking natural, safe, and toxin-free aircare products, with 43% preferring natural ingredients.
There is a demand for pet-friendly formulas, as well as products that cater to health-conscious shoppers.
There is notable interest in customisable and AI-powered scent solutions, reflecting a desire for more control over home environments.
Affordability is a key factor, driving many consumers to choose own-label and mass-market options, while scented candles lead the market due to their functional and aesthetic appeal.
About The Report
The UK Aircare Market Report 2025 provides valuable insights into the aircare market in the UK, including detailed analysis of aircare market size, trends, consumer behaviours, and product innovations. It covers areas such as consumer preferences for natural and customisable scents, the impact of health and safety concerns, and the current demand for affordable yet high-quality aircare products. The Aircare Market Report surveyed UK adults who use aircare products, exploring factors like purchasing behaviours, scent preferences, and attitudes towards eco-friendly and pet-safe formulations. Businesses in the aircare, retail, and household product sectors, as well as marketers and product developers, will benefit from this report by gaining a deeper understanding of consumer needs, market opportunities, and the competitive landscape to inform strategic decisions and drive innovation.
Key Topics Analysed in the Report
- Market size for aircare and forecast for the next five years
- Types of aircare products used and frequency of purchase, including changes over time
- Consumer interest in innovations, including natural formulas and solutions targeting different lifestyle needs, such as the presence of children and pets in the household
- Behaviours towards aircare products, including scent preferences, and awareness about health- and environmental-related issues
- Positive and negative perceptions of different aircare formats
| Report Attributes | Details |
|---|---|
| Published Date | September 2025 |
| Data Range | 2019 – 2030 |
| Measurement Metrics | Revenue in £ |
| Country Focus | United Kingdom (UK) |
| Consumer Data | 2,000 internet users aged 16+, June 2025 |
| Number of Pages | 82 |
| Market Segmentation | Sprays/Aerosols, Scented Candles, Reed Diffusers/Scented Oils, Car Air Fresheners, Plug-ins, Solid/Gel Air Fresheners, Wax Melts, Battery-operated Standalone Sprays. |
| Leading Companies | P&G, Reckitt, SC Johnson, Newell Brands, Febreze, Yankee Candle, Glade, and Diptyque. |
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Amanda Caridad. Amanda has over 10 years of experience in Beauty, Personal Care, and Household segments. Since 2019 at Mintel, she combines her passion for these markets with her interest in consumer behaviour, crafting insights and helping clients anticipate trends. She holds a degree in International Relations and a Marketing specialisation.
Growing alcohol moderation makes it essential to continue to develop low-/no-alcohol versions, but brands will need to address the price barrier to these variants.
Amanda Caridad
Global Household Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Opportunities for the aircare market
- Beyond scent, odour control is a fundamental requirement
- Pet-friendly odour neutralisation holds strong potential
- Health-conscious consumers drive demand for safer, more transparent ingredients
- Enhance consumers’ control over scents with personalised solutions
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions for aircare
- Aircare market is forecast for steady and consistent growth
- Graph 1: retail value sales and forecast for aircare, 2019-30
- Candles drive aircare sales growth
- Graph 2: retail value sales of aircare products, by segment, 2023-25
- Aircare sales grow amid cost-saving behaviours
- What consumers want and why
- Aircare usage continues to grow steadily
- Most popular formats remain largely unchanged
- Graph 3: usage of aircare products in the last 12 months, 2025
- Boost consumer engagement with aircare, by addressing unique demographic needs
- Consumers embrace value-driven purchasing habits
- Graph 4: frequency of buying aircare in the last 12 months, 2025
- Consumers want new scents, but expect a better shopping experience
- Address health-anxiety with safer, toxin-free formulas
- Growing demand for personalised scents drives consumer engagement
- Innovation and marketing
- Candles drive innovation, targeting demand for affordable and safe formulas
- Improved safety and transparency drive consumers’ interest
- Ad spend increases, while brands start looking at digital and retail immersive experiences
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market size
- Consistent growth in aircare sales
- Graph 5: retail value sales of aircare, 2021-25
- Despite candles’ dominance, other formats have opportunities to drive future growth
- Market forecast
- Consistent growth comes from aircare’s essential role in daily routines
- Graph 6: retail value sales and forecast for aircare, 2019-30
- Aircare has significant opportunities for continued growth
- US-tariffs impact global supply chain of aircare ingredients
- Market segmentation
- Candles push aircare sales growth
- Graph 7: retail value sales of aircare products, by segment, 2023-25
- All formats apart from candles face challenges
- Market share
- Own-labels maintain a steady 29% market share
- Graph 8: company shares in value sales of aircare products, 2023-25
- A competitive market makes it harder for name brands to achieve strong market penetration
- P&G thrives by meeting consumers’ fundamental expectation for odour neutralisation
- Own-labels’ importance remains solid amid the cost of living crisis
- Distribution channels
- Grocery stores are the primary destination for aircare products
- Graph 9: share of retail channels used for aircare purchase, 2025
- Market drivers
- Cost of living crisis drives demand for value and comfort
- Graph 10: financial wellbeing index, 2023-25
- Rising health concerns towards the use of aircare drive demand for more transparency on ingredients
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Use of aircare products
- Aircare usage exceeds pre-pandemic levels for the first time
- Graph 11: usage of any aircare products in the last 12 months, 2019-25
- Usage of aircare remains limited to a few formats
- Graph 12: usage of aircare products in the last 12 months, 2019-25
- Sprays lead the market, but consumers demand safer options
- Reed diffusers meet consumer demand for lasting scent and home enhancement
- Female users play a significant role in usage of aircare
- Women have the broadest aircare repertoires
- Graph 13: repertoire analysis of aircare products use in the last 12 months, by gender, 2025
- Women push sales of more decorative aircare
- Graph 14: usage of aircare products in the last 12 months, by gender, 2025
- Women are keenest to experiment with new scents and brands
- Car air fresheners can tap into AI to enhance driving experiences
- Graph 15: usage of car air fresheners in the last 12 months, by annual household income, 2025
- Smart, personalised scent solutions appeal to affluent car owners
- Embrace multiculturalism through scents
- Ethnic minorities signal opportunity for distinct scents
- Tap into MENA culture with regional scents for seasonal festivities
- Frequency of buying aircare products
- Purchase frequency increases
- Graph 16: frequency of buying aircare in the last 12 months, 2023-25
- Aircare brands are neglecting over-55s
- Graph 17: frequency of buying aircare in the last 12 months, by age, 2025
- Frequently purchased formats reflect evolving consumers’ needs
- Graph 18: frequency of aircare purchase by usage of aircare by format, 2025
- Energy efficiency and scent longevity can boost preference for powered aircare formats
- Aircare purchase behaviours
- Brands must navigate a desire for innovation alongside value for money
- Graph 19: aircare purchase behaviours in the last 12 months, 2025
- Mass-market products appeal to mature consumers
- Graph 20: purchase of value/mass-market aircare products in the last 12 months, by age, 2025
- Aircare makes an affordable treat for Gen Z adults
- Graph 21: purchase of aircare products as a treat for oneself or someone else, by generation, 2025
- Explore different gifting celebrations with seasonal scents
- Factors that would encourage use of one aircare product over another
- Health-conscious aircare users want natural and safer formulas
- Graph 22: factors that would encourage use of one aircare product over another, 2025
- City dwellers are interested in many different aircare attributes
- Graph 23: factors that would encourage use of one aircare product over another, by area, 2025
- Health concerns impact use of certain aircare formats
- Address city dwellers’ demand for safer, healthier aircare
- Highlight product safety with hormone-friendly formulas
- Scope to develop kitchen-specific solutions
- Child-friendly formulas are also under-explored
- Graph 24: consumers who would use a child-friendly aircare product over another, by children in the household, 2025
- Get inspiration from other regions for child-friendly formulas
- Behaviours towards aircare products
- Home fragrances must align with consumers’ year-round scent preferences
- Scent can boost consumer engagement with aircare
- Graph 25: behaviours towards the use of aircare scents, 2025
- Guide consumers through scent discovery
- Graph 26: select behaviours towards aircare scents, by generation, 2025
- Enhance the scent discovery experience
- Health and environmental concerns shape cautious aircare behaviours
- Balance performance and safety to meet consumers’ need for health-centric aircare
- Plant-based wax candles address demand of health-conscious consumers
- Aircare formats associations
- Consumers’ associations matter to succeed in the aircare market
- Reed diffusers top candles by meeting demand for natural scent ingredients
- AI-powered diffusers can address interest in customised, allergy-friendly scents
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
- Launch activity and innovation
- Aircare remains the most prominent category for household NPD
- Graph 27: share of household care product launches, by category, 2022-24
- Scented candles see an increase in launch activity share
- Graph 28: share of aircare launches, by sub-category, 2022-24
- Own-labels overtake brands for NPD leadership in 2024
- Graph 29: share of aircare product launches, by brands and private label, 2022-24
- Own-label candles pair affordability with premiumisation
- Reckitt and SC Johnson emphasise ethical and safety claims for their powered air fresheners
- Eco-friendly and natural claims show decreased penetration in 2024
- Graph 30: launches of aircare products, by select eco-ethical claims, 2022-24
- Increase in vegan candle launches responds to consumers’ demand for ethical waxes
- Scent innovations go beyond florals and gourmand notes
- Graph 31: share of new aircare launches, by top 10 fragrance component groups, 2015 and 2024
- Help evoke pleasant moments beyond descriptive scent messages
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Aircare ad spend surpasses £45 million in 2024
- Graph 32: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on aircare products, 2022-24
- P&G and Reckitt lead for aircare ad spend
- Graph 33: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail ad expenditure on aircare, by company, 2022-24
- Reckitt’s Air Wick highlights natural and convenient odour removal
- Yankee Candle highlights the emotional power of fragrance
- Outdoor ads are used to attract attention to new launches
- Diptyque leads social ad spend and unveils new retail immersive experience
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APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Market data and forecast methodology
- Aircare retail value sales by segment
- Aircare company shares
- Aircare distribution channels
- Market size and forecast
- Market forecast and prediction intervals (value)
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
- Aircare ad expenditure
- Consumer
- Consumer research methodology
- Correspondence analysis of aircare formats
- Correspondence methodology
- Generations
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