2026
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UK Babies’ and Children’s Personal Care Products, Nappies and Wipes Market Report 2026
2026-04-17T10:01:09+00:00
REPC16B7191_EEF1_49C7_AB71_91EEF1B9C7EC
2195
192691
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Report
en_GB
The market concluded with flat growth in 2025, due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and the fading impact of the post-pandemic baby boom, with the youngest newborns growing out of…
UK
Nappies and Baby Products
simple

UK Babies’ and Children’s Personal Care Products, Nappies and Wipes Market Report 2026

"Brands need to innovate around the value matrix to secure brand loyalty, and focus on babies' skin health to sustain further growth."

Ziyu Tian, OTC & Personal Care Research Analyst

Ziyu Tian, OTC & Personal Care Research Analyst

UK Babies and Children’s Personal Care Market – Trends and Insights

  • The UK market concluded with flat growth in 2025, due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and the fading impact of the post-pandemic baby boom, with the youngest newborns growing out of the category.
  • The market is beginning to shift as emerging brands challenge the long-held dominance of established names. 76% of UK parents who have bought nappies in the last 12 months think newer nappy brands perform just as effectively as older brands, challenging notions around brand loyalty.
  • Apart from declining births, lack of NPD also hinders future market growth. Amid regulation headwinds of plastic-containing wipe ban, and increasing bar around sustainability, disposable nappy and wipe brands need to design with eco and ethical commitments in mind.
  • Innovations around personalisation could open up new space, targeting climate-induced skin conditions and novelty-seeking parents. Seasonal launches, licensed partnerships and digital integration will drive new growth in the market.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • Essential purchase of nappies, wipes and shower, bath, haircare, skincare products designed for babies under the age of four
  • Sustainability efforts of disposable nappies and wipes, and the regulatory compliance behind
  • Factors that appeal to parents to experiment with a new type of product and expand repertoire
  • The challenge for brand loyalty in a market with emerging disruptors during the cost-of-living crisis
  • Experience of skin conditions among babies and children, and the focus on skin health from a product design angle
  • Innovation gap and opportunities for new product development based on consumer interests

Market Definitions

For the purposes of this Report, children are defined as under the age of five. This Report covers the market for babies’ and children’s toiletries and skincare products, nappies and wipes, including:

  • Baby wipes and pre-moistened tissues
  • Shampoo and haircare products
  • Bath, shower and wash products
  • Skincare products such as lotion, powder and oil
  • Oral hygiene products such as toothpastes
  • Suncare products for babies and children
  • Disposable nappies
  • Disposable training nappies/pants
  • Disposable baby wipes aimed exclusively at baby usage
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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for babies and children’s personal care, nappies and wipes market
    • Opportunities for the babies’ and children’s personal care, nappies and wipes market
    • Secure brand loyalty amid cost-of-living crisis
    • Skin health focus will open up new space
    • Excite the market with NPD
  2. THE MARKET

    • Snapshot – market size and forecast
    • Rising prices will push young parents to trade down
    • Graph 1: changes in household finances, 2011-25
    • Fertility rate decline poses the biggest threat
    • Baby powder risks loss under asbestos scandal
    • Graph 2: interest over time – “talc” as a topic, 2025-26
    • Baby wipes will take the hit from the new plastic ban
    • Warmer weather could lead to more skin conditions
    • Market size and forecast
    • Market size and forecast of babies and children’s personal care products, nappies and wipes
    • Graph 3: market size and forecast for babies’ and children’s personal care products, nappies and wipes, 2019-30
    • Personal care products make the new growth engine
    • Pampers maintains growth in nappy sales
    • Graph 4: retail value sales of babies’ and children’s nappies, by brand, 2023-25
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Usage and purchase hold strong ground
    • Parents spending more on essentials
    • Combine eco and convenience to widen the appeal
    • Convenience needs sustain wipe purchase
    • Novelty can entice active buyers
    • Personalisation is needed to maintain interests
    • Graph 5: select behaviours towards babies’ and children’s personal care, nappy and wipe purchase and usage, by repertoire of products bought, 2026
    • Brand loyalty and positioning under threat
    • Cost of living squeeze still impacts purchase choice
    • Explore immediate purchase incentives to expand reach and retention
    • Reinvigorate legacy brand image through collaborations
    • Skincare texture can reach a premium group
    • Beware of the risks of targeting the youngest consumers
    • Navigating the purchase process
    • Real experience drives new purchase
    • Parents seek valid proof for skin conditions
    • Material matters
    • Support skin health with ingredient knowledge
    • Explore holistic inside-out solutions
  4. PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Lack of NPD puts the market at risk
    • Tie with medical authorities to earn trust
    • Challenger nappy brands are emerging
    • Graph 6: diaper launches, by top five companies in 2025, 2021-2026
    • Sustainability bar for nappies and wipes is rising
    • Graph 7: diaper and babies’ wipe launches, by top four growing ethical & environmental claims in 2025, 2021-26
    • Elevated eco & ethical commitments
    • Excite personal care routine with licensed partnership
  5. APPENDIX

    • Market definition
    • The market
    • Forecast methodology
    • Forecast methodology – fan chart
    • Market size and forecast of babies and children’s personal care products, nappies and wipes
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals
    • Market segmentation
    • Market share: babies’ and children’s nappies
    • Market share: babies’ and children’s wipes
    • Market share: babies’ and children’s personal care products
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Repertoire analysis methodology
    • UK generation groups
    • Other data source methodologies
    • Birth and fertility rate trends
    • Mintel Spark
    • Abbreviations

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