Efficacy is driving NPD
Consumers are dissatisfied with sweat and odour protection, which will only be exacerbated by climate change and rising temperatures. Innovation is needed with opportunities in formulation, usage instructions, and pre- and post- deodorant solutions.
Plateauing population growth threatens spending
Growth in the UK’s population is expected to plateau over the next two decades, threatening the category’s growth. Strategies for increasing both product repertoires and average spend per product are needed if brands want to reduce the impact.
Premiumisation is the biggest opportunity
Consumers are primed for the premiumisation of the category, as natural deodorants have paved the way for higher price points. Most notable, opportunities exist within skincare ingredients and claims, as well as premium scents.
This report looks at the following areas:
- How natural brands have paved the way for premiumisation.
- The need for efficacy driven innovation and how brands are already meeting this need.
- Consumer interest in novel products (such as underarm masks and occasion specific products) and how this can boost volume sales.
- Opportunities and threats the category will face in the coming years.
- Underarm issues experienced and the challenges consumers face finding products that meet their needs.
Deodorant users are primed for premiumisation in the category, while efficacy remains a driver of NPD, and private label will benefit from unit price increases.
Dionne Officer, Research Analyst – BPC Innovation
Market Definitions
Products covered in this Report
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
- Deodorants are products that contain ingredients to kill bacteria that cause body odour and/or contain fragrances to mask the smell of perspiration. They do not prevent wetness.
- Antiperspirants control both wetness and odour. These contain ingredients – generally salts of aluminium – which react with sweat to temporarily seal the pores, thereby controlling perspiration, and are usually combined with a deodorant to control odour.
The products covered in this Report include deodorants and antiperspirants for both men and women, in all packaging formats, including:
- Aerosols
- Atomisers
- Pumps
- Roll-ons
- Solid sticks
- Gels
- Creams
- Wipes
- Solid crystals.
This Report excludes bodysprays used purely for fragrance and with no deodorising/antiperspirant properties. For more information on bodysprays, see Mintel’s Report Fragrances – UK, 2024.
Please note that the terms ‘deodorants’ and ‘antiperspirants’ are used interchangeably throughout the Report.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Opportunities for the deodorant market
- Meet the desire for expanded repertoires
- Efficacy is a strong driver for NPD
- The consumer is well primed for premiumisation
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Deodorants market size & forecast
- Natural trends and premiumisation boost sales
- Market predictions
- The outlook for deodorants is positive
- Armpit Botox threatens growth
- What consumers want and why
- Deodorant usage increases at the expense of antiperspirants
- Graph 1: deodorant/antiperspirant usage, 2022 vs 2024
- Niche formats grow as consumers seek aluminium-free products
- Graph 2: deodorant/antiperspirant format usage, 2023 vs 2024
- Moisturising claims have wide appeal
- Graph 3: deodorant/antiperspirant claims that encourage users to choose one product over another, 2024
- Consumers desire long-lasting protection
- Graph 4: deodorant/antiperspirant challenges, 2024
- Itchiness needs to be scratched out
- Graph 5: underarm issues experienced, 2024
- Hotter summers increase product usage…
- Graph 6: attitudes towards deodorant/antiperspirant trust, 2024
- …creating a need for new in usage instructions
- Skin health claims have wide appeal
- Graph 7: interest in deodorant/antiperspirant innovation, 2024
- Combating odour presents brand extension opportunities
- Innovation and marketing
- Launch activity remains strong, but differentiation is needed…
- Graph 8: deodorant/antiperspirant launches, by launch type, 2020-24
- …while format launches align with usage trends
- Graph 9: deodorant/antiperspirant launches, by format type, 2020-24
- Premium brands increase launch activity…
- Graph 10: deodorant/antiperspirant launches, by prestige price positioning, 2020-24
- …having spotted opportunities for scent and ingredient elevation
- Efficacy remains a strong theme within NPD
- Men’s brands go for convenience
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market size
- Natural trends and premiumisation boost sales
- Graph 11: retail value sales of deodorants/antiperspirants, 2020-24
- Market forecast
- Deodorants will continue to see strong growth
- Opportunities
- Threats
- Market segmentation
- A shift to unisex is about scent rather than gender
- Channels to market
- All channels see double digit growth
- Grocers remain the dominant channel
- Health and beauty can lean on novelty
- Niche channels gain traction
- Market share
- Sure holds onto its leading share
- Unilever dominates in the UK deodorant category
- Natural and refillable brands achieve rapid growth
- Private label brands can take advantage of premiumisation
- Market drivers
- Current financial wellbeing diverges from consumer spending habits
- Graph 12: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-24
- Slowing UK population growth threatens deodorants
- Graph 13: population estimates, 2021 projection, 2004-44
- The changing age structure of the population presents a challenge
- Graph 14: predicted change in the age structure of the UK population, 2023-28
- Anti-aluminium sentiments remain rife
- Rising temperatures increase usage
- Fresh scents resonate
- Graph 15: personal care product scent preferences, 2023
- Deodorant wardrobes are an emerging trend
- Exercise offers segmenting opportunities
- Address menstrual cycle induced sweating fluctuations
- Graph 16: menstruation rates, 2022-23
- Armpit Botox could become a real threat
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Usage of deodorants
- Deodorant usage increases at the expense of antiperspirants
- Graph 17: deodorant/antiperspirant usage, 2022 vs 2024
- Deodorant and antiperspirant use is near universal
- Stop older men dropping out of the category
- Graph 18: deodorant/antiperspirant non-use, by age and gender, 2020-24
- Niche formats grow as consumers seek aluminium-free products
- Graph 19: deodorant/antiperspirant format usage, 2023 vs 2024
- The gap between aerosols and alternative formats is closing among women
- Graph 20: deodorant/antiperspirant format usage, by gender, 2024
- Younger consumers trade up as their income increases
- Graph 21: roll-on deodorant/antiperspirant format usage, by age, 2024
- Small brands trailblaze with stick formats
- Graph 22: deodorant/antiperspirant launches, by format, 2019-22 vs 2023-24
- Sustainable and prestige brands look to niche formats
- Factors that influence deodorant choice
- Moisturising claims have wide appeal
- Graph 23: deodorant/antiperspirant claims that encourage users to choose one product over another, 2024
- Women’s proclivity to shave increases their need for hydration
- Graph 24: select deodorant/antiperspirant claims that encourage users to choose one product over another, by gender, 2024
- Soothing claims can justify trading up
- Beauty claims garner interest
- Beauty claims can drive up average spend
- Graph 25: beauty enhancing deodorant/antiperspirant claims that encourage users to choose one product over another, by age, 2024
- Prestige brands take the plunge with beauty claims
- Free-from has opposing appeal
- Graph 26: deodorant/antiperspirant claims that encourage users to choose one product over another, by area, 2024
- Expand target audience by spotlighting multiple claims
- Deodorant challenges
- There is an underlying dissatisfaction with product functionality
- Long-lasting sweat protection is the biggest hurdle
- Graph 27: deodorant/antiperspirant challenges, 2024
- Consumers are facing multiple challenges
- Graph 28: repertoire of deodorant/antiperspirant challenges faced, 2024
- Challenges differ by format type
- Gen Z are most dissatisfied with sweat protection
- Graph 29: difficulty finding a deodorant/antiperspirant that provides long-lasting protection against sweat, by generation, 2024
- Address slow absorption with micronisation
- Natural brands can lean into stain-free positioning
- Combating odour presents brand extension opportunities
- Travel friendly products appeal to younger consumer
- Graph 30: difficulty finding a deodorant/antiperspirant that is travel-friendly, by age, 2024
- Lynx is well positioned to offer a premium deodorant range
- Graph 31: difficulty finding a deodorant/antiperspirant that complements other scented products, by gender and age, 2024
- Underarm issues experienced
- Itchiness needs to be scratched out
- Graph 32: underarm issues experienced, 2024
- Brands can help consumers care for their delicate underarms
- Premium deodorants can target those with multiple concerns
- Graph 33: repertoire of underarm issues faced, 2024
- Innovate to remove sensitising ingredients
- Consumers show claims literacy
- Many consumers do not experience underarm issues
- Graph 34: no experience of underarm issues, by age, 2024
- Women experiencearmpit issues significantly more than men
- Graph 35: select underarm issues experienced, by gender, 2024
- Young consumers want perfect underarms
- Attitudes towards brand/product trust
- Hotter summers increase product usage
- Graph 36: attitudes towards deodorant/antiperspirant trust, 2024
- Summer presents marketing opportunities…
- …and the need for new in usage instructions
- North America leads the charge with whole body deodorants
- Be positive about men’s interest in whole body deos
- Consumers need encouragement to switch
- Consumers are interested in underarm masks
- Younger consumers trust celebrities
- Graph 37: trust in deodorant/antiperspirant recommendations made by celebrities, by age, 2024
- Interest in innovation
- Skin health claims have wide appeal
- Graph 38: interest in deodorant/antiperspirant innovation, 2024
- Sanex monopolises the skin health positioning
- Graph 39: interest in using a deodorant/antiperspirant that improves underarm skin health, by age, 2024
- Consumers are looking for skincare ingredients
- Formulate with soothing and barrier-repairing actives
- Private label can undercut with premium deodorants
- Consumers are willing to increase their product repertoire
- Graph 40: interest in increasing deodorant/antiperspirant product repertoire, 2024
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
- Launch activity and innovation
- Brands find safety in range extensions
- Graph 41: deodorant/antiperspirant launches, by launch type, 2020-24
- Unilever dominates NPD
- Graph 42: deodorant/antiperspirant launches, by top 15 ultimate companies, 2023-24
- Brands extend with new scents
- Efficacy claims drive Sure’s range extensions
- Unilever collaborates with Aptamer in search of new actives
- Spray formats continues to lose market share
- Graph 43: deodorant/antiperspirant launches, by format type, 2020-24
- Eco claims continue to rise
- Graph 44: deodorant/antiperspirant launches, by top 5 eco-ethical claims, 2019-23
- Sustainable innovations continue to launch
- Premium brands increase launch activity
- Graph 45: deodorant/antiperspirant launches, by prestige price positioning, 2020-24
- The skinification trend enables premium pricing
- Brands begin to target Gen Alpha
- Men’s brands go for convenience
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Wild highlights efficacy and smell
- Ad spend increases exponentially
- Outdoor adverts appeal to commuting men
- Unilever dominates ad spend in 2023
- Sure launches new tech during 2024 Euros…
- …and invested in multiple media types
- Dove highlights skin benefits
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APPENDIX
- Supplementary data
- Trends in the age structure of the UK population
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Market size and forecast: constant and current prices
- Market forecast: prediction intervals
- Forecast methodology
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Consumer research methodology
- TURF analysis methodology
- TURF analysis data
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
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