UK Soap, Bath and Shower Products Market Report 2023

Stay ahead of the curve and future-proof your business with Mintel’s UK Soap, Bath and Shower Products Market Report 2023. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest trends and consumer behaviours affecting your industry. Get a 360° view of the soap, bath and shower products market including market size, share and forecasted growth to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.

Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.

Topics Analysed in this Report

• Analyses the influence of post-pandemic behaviour on the soap, bath and shower products market.
• How usage behaviours of soap, bath and shower products have been impacted by the income squeeze.
• How brands can better position bar soaps to increase usage.
• How consumers prioritise low cost when choosing soap, bath or shower products.

Soap, Bath and Shower Products Market Outlook

The cost of living crisis is already impacting the soap, bath and shower products market; growing number of consumers are reducing the heat of the water they use for showering. In a category where it is easy to cut spending thanks to promotional activity and affordable products, savvy shopping habits are easy to adopt. Brands and retailers in the soap, bath and shower products market will have to provide their accessibility with price locks and transparency to remain competitive.

• Soap, bath and shower products market size: Mintel forecasts that value sales will grow to £723 million in 2028.
• Soap bath and shower products challenge: 50% of SBS product users agree they have reduced the heat of the water they use for showering/bathing.

Find the total UK retail sales, product launches and forecast for each segment of the soap, bath and shower products market in the full report, alongside an expert analysis of segment performance.

Soap, Bath and Shower Products Market Opportunities and Trends

Multifunctional claims can encourage trade-ups

Spend in the soap, bath and shower products market is typically low, but brands can encourage trade-ups by innovating in more multifunctional products. While there are multifunctional products readily available for men, there are fewer mass-market options for women. More mass-market and own-label brands can innovate in gender-neutral or female-specific hair and body washes.

• Bath and shower products market opportunity: 62% of BPC buyers agree that mutli-functional products can help them save money.

Promote value larger pack sizes

As budgets continue to be squeezed, Mintel’s research identifies that consumers are seeking larger pack sizes when shopping for bathing products in order to save money. While many brands only offer one or two pack sizes, offering a wider variety of pack sizes to suit different consumer budgets and bathroom space availability will appeal to those looking to save money both in the short and long term.

• Facial skincare opportunity: 85% of SBS product users agree that larger packs are a good way to save money.

To learn how to connect with your audience, purchase our full UK Soap, Bath and Shower Products Market Report 2023.  Discover lucrative innovation opportunities to help your business grow during times of financial uncertainty.

Leading Brands in the Bath and Shower Products Market

Radoz, Dove, Original Source, Lynx, Imperial Leather, NIVEA, L’Oréal, Sanex, Palmolive, Simple, Baylis & Harding.

Additional Features Included with Your Purchase

• Interactive Data Book: This gives you unlimited access to a consumer confidence tracker that is segmented into 25 different demographic categories.
• Different Digital Formats: PDF for conveniently sharing with your team, PowerPoint for quickly including in your presentation, as well as Word and Excel.
• Mintel’s Clients Portal: Our portal offers instant access to actionable analysis and trends pieces relevant to your industry that are published almost daily. You can also browse for more market research reports.

Expert Insights from a BPC Analyst

This report, written by Georgia Stafford, a leading BPC industry analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the soap, bath and shower products market and add expert context to the numbers.

The soap, bath and shower products market suffered a post-COVID-19 decline in 2021 and 2022, but 2023 will see value sales in the category steady. The income-squeeze is impacting bathing and purchase behaviours, and brands can underline value with large pack sizes and price locks in response. For consumers with room in their budget, there are opportunities to encourage indulgence with mini pack sizes from premium brands.”

Georgia Stafford
Research Analyst