In 2024, prestige outperformed, as sun protection continued to be integrated into anti-ageing skincare routines. Social media users consistently embed suncare into their online content, with this driving consumers to trade up, boosting value sales within the UK suncare market.
UK Suncare Market Landscape
In the 12 months to September 2023, 31% of UK adults used makeup or skincare with SPF, but this fell to 27% in the same period in 2024. A decline in usage suggests consumers are turning to specialist products in search of efficacy. However, continued use of these formats points to an underlying demand for convenience, multifunctional products and streamlined beauty and grooming routines.
A lack of understanding regarding the relevance of the UV index and suncare application poses a threat to the UK suncare market. The misconception that sun protection is only needed when the weather is sunny and warm means the segment is exposed to turbulent weather patterns, which significantly impact sales. Education could therefore reduce the segment’s vulnerability to the weather.
The primary opportunities in the UK suncare market are to increase product repertoires and boost usage/purchase frequencies. For example, there are opportunities to promote the use of specialist sun protection products post-cosmetic procedures or during gel manicure appointments. Meanwhile, in self-tan, a heightened focus on both speed of application and express results could drive usage frequencies in the UK suncare market.
UK Suncare Market Statistics
- UK suncare market challenge: 72% of UK adults used sun protection in the 12 months to September 2024, falling from 77% in the same period in 2023.
- UK suncare market consumer preference: 41% of consumers purchased suncare products from health and beauty retailers.
- UK suncare market challenge: 64% of consumers would avoid using a suncare product from a brand they don’t recognise.
UK Suncare Market Report – What’s Inside?
Key Topics Analysed in the Report
- How polarised brand preferences are impacting value sales of the UK suncare market.
- The impact of climate change on the UK suncare market and forecast value sales.
- The challenges suncare brands/retailers will face attracting to new consumers.
- How brands in the UK suncare market can improve synergies between sun protection and self-tan.
- Opportunities to expand product repertoires in sun protection, aftersun and self-tan.
- Opportunities to drive suncare usage frequencies and purchase rates.
Report Scope
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
- sunless/self-tanning products in any format
Excluded from market sizing but discussed in the context of the Report are:
- preparations designed for use with sunbeds
- toiletries such as shampoos or hairstyling products that contain sun protection
- makeup products for the sun, such as creams, gels and powder bronzers that are primarily intended for cosmetic use
- skincare products with added SPF, which are not designed specifically for use in the sun/while sunbathing
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
Sam has almost ten years of experience producing engaging and insightful, data-led beauty and retail content, whilst also bringing research to life through media work, client collaborations and industry events. She is skilled at identifying emerging trends, changes in consumer behaviour and business opportunities.
Despite the category’s exposure to weather and travel pressures, value sales have continued to grow, as consumers spent more money on fewer products in 2024.
Samantha Dover
Global Beauty Analyst
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Executive Summary
- Opportunities for the market
- Inform and educate to boost sun protection usage
- Combat misinformation in suncare
- Focus on convenience to encourage self-tan usage
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Suncare market size and forecast
- Market predictions
- What consumers want and why
- Take advantage of sun protection premiumisation and a shift away from skincare/makeup with SPF
- Graph 1: sun protection and aftersun products used in the last 12 months, 2023 and 2024
- Keep developing high SPFs
- Graph 2: SPF levels used in the last 12 months, 2023 and 2024
- Attract new users to the self-tan segment with anti-ageing claims
- Graph 3: sunless tanning products and services used in the last 12 months, 2023 and 2024
- Tap into the cross-category private label opportunity
- Graph 4: type of retailer used to purchase suncare products, 2024
- Steal spend away from skincare
- Graph 5: suncare usage behaviours, 2024
- Formulate for burn-prone areas
- Graph 6: areas of the body where respondents typically experience sunburn, 2024
- Graph 7: areas of the face/head where respondents typically experience sunburn, 2024
- Address sun protection format issues
- Graph 8: experience of sunburn on the face/head, by usage of sun protection, 2024
- Highlight shade inclusivity and ramp up innovation with skin-loving ingredients in self-tan
- Graph 9: priorities when choosing a sunless tanning products, 2024
- Innovation and marketing
- Ramp up NPD in sunless tanning and aftersun
- Graph 10: new product launches in the suncare category, by sub-category, 2019-24
- Brands embed suncare into skincare routines
- A spotlight is placed on natural ingredients
- Graph 11: top 10 claims in the suncare category (based on 2024)*, 2023-24
- Major retailers battle on price
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Market Dynamics
- Market size
- The category failed to maintain its strong growth trajectory
- Nudge consumers away from occasion-driven usage
- Market forecast
- A positive outlook for suncare
- Address usage barriers and issues to drive further spend
- Market segmentation
- Consider low-priced self-tan innovation to boost experimentation
- Graph 12: percentage change in estimated retail value sales of suncare, by segment, 2023-24
- Strengthen sun protection use beyond holidays and heatwaves
- Encourage consumers to replace bodycare with aftersun
- Mass brands need to respond to the rise of prestige
- Channels to market
- H&B retailers can drive growth via technology
- Graph 13: retail value sales of suncare products, by channel, 2023 and 2024
- Polarised purchase behaviours persist
- Expand brand mix to boost spend via supermarkets
- Market share
- Hawaiian Tropic can engage young suncare shoppers with minis and DTC offers
- Graph 14: percentage change in retail value sales of sun protection and aftersun, by brand, 2023-24
- SPF competition continues to increase
- Leading SPF brands battle with value demands and premiumisation trends
- Dove outperforms in self-tanning, driven by the popularity of gradual tanning
- Graph 15: percentage change in retail value sales of self-tanning products, by brand, 2023-24
- Skinny Tan’s young audience will be receptive to newness
- Market drivers
- Consumers remain cautious
- Graph 16: the financial confidence index, 2016-24
- Cater for an ageing population
- The self-tan season precedes suncare
- Graph 17: Google ‘self-tan’ and ‘sun cream’ searches, 2019-24
- Reduce the category’s reliance on the weather…
- Graph 18: monthly mean air temperature, 2023-24
- …as well as its reliance on overseas travel
- Graph 19: destinations visited on holiday in the past 12 months, 2019-23
- Collaborate with popular music festivals
- Graph 20: paid attendance at in-person musicals in the last 12 months, 2023 and 2024
- Formulate with outdoor sports in mind
- Charity partnerships can build trust in NPD
- Combat a damaging social media narrative
- Highlight the need for sun protection during nail appointments
- Rethink suncare scents to boost year-round usage
- Graph 21: fragrance and scented personal care behaviours, 2024
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What Consumers Want and Why
- Sun protection and aftersun usage
- Sun protection users are craving convenience
- Sun protection usage declined in 2024…
- Graph 22: sun protection and aftersun products used in the last 12 months, 2023 and 2024
- …but there are signs of hope for the category
- Increase repertoires to drive spend
- Graph 23: repertoire of sun protection and aftersun products used in the last 12 months, 2023 and 2024
- Reignite demand for protective haircare
- Lapse behaviours drive usage of aftersun
- Graph 24: agreement with “I check the UV index outdoors before applying sun protection products”, by usage of aftersun vs total users, 2024
- Create a new aftersun sensation
- Most sun protection users are opting for SPF 30 or above
- Graph 25: SPF levels used in the last 12 months, 2023 and 2024
- Tap into the post-procedure opportunity
- Women opt for higher levels of SPF
- Graph 26: SPF levels used in the last 12 months, by gender, 2024
- Sunless tanning usage
- Self-tanning usage remains relatively niche
- Attracting new users to the category will be a challenge
- Graph 27: sunless tanning products and services used in the last 12 months, 2023 and 2024
- Link self-tanning products to anti-ageing routines
- Graph 28: Google searches for ‘sunbed’, 2010-24
- Leverage outdoor advertising and events to engage existing users
- Formulate with out-of-home workers in mind
- Graph 29: usage of sunless tanning products, by working location, 2024
- Support the 16-24s as they enter the segment
- Graph 30: repertoire of sunless tanning products and services, by age, 2024
- Types of retailer used to purchase suncare
- Suncare buyers are looking for value
- Private label availability influences place of purchase
- Graph 31: type of retailer used to purchase suncare products, 2024
- Retail channels vary by sub-category
- Accessibility equates to channel experimentation
- Graph 32: repertoire of retailer types used to buy suncare products, by area, 2024
- Educate consumers on suncare shelf-life
- Graph 33: purchase of suncare products in the last 12 months, by area, 2024
- Suncare usage behaviours
- Trust is paramount
- Opportunities exist to steal spend away from skincare
- Graph 34: suncare usage behaviours, 2024
- Elevate the sensory experience of body suncare for prestige buyers
- Graph 35: agreement with ‘I have/would use suncare products in place of other products’, by household income, 2024
- Ramp up awareness of the UV index
- Help breakout-prone users navigate ranges
- Graph 36: agreement with “I have found that some suncare products cause my skin to break out”, by usage of sun protection formats, 2024
- Maximise on perceptions around standalone SPF
- Leverage social media to drive daily usage
- Graph 37: agreement with “I think there is a stigma attached to not wearing sun protection products every day”, by age and gender, 2024
- Combat damaging assumptions around sunbeds
- Tackle the fertility debate
- Experience of sunburn
- Formulate for burn-prone areas
- Graph 38: areas of the body where respondents typically experience sunburn, 2024
- Graph 39: areas of the face/head where respondents typically experience sunburn, 2024
- Post-sun sheet masks and patches will appeal to those experiencing sunburn
- Help consumers prevent forehead sunburn
- Make full body application easier
- Sunburn experience varies depending on format preferences
- Graph 40: experience of sunburn on the face/head, by usage of sun protection, 2024
- Sunless tanning priorities
- Lead with convenience claims in self-tanning
- Highlight shade inclusivity
- Graph 41: priorities when choosing sunless tanning products, 2024
- Ramp up innovation with skin-loving ingredients
- Emphasise the quality and convenience of private label
- Graph 42: new product launches in the sunless tanning category, brands vs private label, 2020-24
- Help men find relevant products
- Target users aged 45+ with a greater array of hydrating formats
- Graph 43: priorities when choosing a sunless tanning product, by age, 2024
- Reimagine self-tan removers to boost uptake
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Innovation And Marketing Trends
- Sun protection and aftersun launch activity
- The focus of suncare NPD remains on protection
- Graph 44: new product launches in the sun protection and aftersun category, by sub-category, 2020-24
- Link aftersun to skincare routines
- Natural ingredient and anti-ageing claims see a boost in NPD
- Graph 45: top 10 fastest growing claims in sun protection and aftersun, 2023-24
- Ingredient provenance gains a spotlight
- Marry fragrance-free and anti-acne claims
- Inclusive NPD gains visibility
- Stick formats get a glow up
- Launch activity remains fragmented
- Graph 46: new product launches in the sun protection and aftersun category, by top 10 ultimate companies (based on 2024), 2023 and 2024
- Active players in NPD focused on children’s products
- Formulate with teens in mind
- Sunless tanning launch activity
- Ramp up NPD in sunless tanning
- Graph 47: new product launches in the suncare category, by sub-category, 2019-24
- A rise in brightening and illuminating claims
- Graph 48: top 10 claims in the sunless tanning category (based on 2024), 2023-24
- Brands hone in on naturally derived DHA
- Cater for a need for speed
- Create products for people with sensitive skin
- Further connect the dots between self-tan and skincare
- Brands explore the serum opportunity
- Mists regain NPD share
- Attract new users with mass-market options
- Bondi Sands invests in NPD
- Graph 49: new product launches in the sunless tanning category, by top 10 ultimate companies (based on 2024), 2023 and 2024
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Outdoor sees uptick in advertising
- ALDI gives free suncare to outdoor workers
- Online beauty specialists invests in outdoor advertising
- L’Oréal and Unilever dominate advertising activity
- Graph 50: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on suncare, by advertiser, 2023
- NIVEA offers range navigation support
- Major retailers battle on price
- Learn from La Roche-Posay’s immersive experience
- Dove highlights pain points of sunless tanning
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Appendix
- Supplementary data
- Trends in the age structure of the UK population
- Additional weather data
- Graph 51: total monthly precipitation, 2023-24
- Graph 52: total monthly duration of bright sunshine, 2023-24
- Market segmentation
- Channels to market
- Market share – sun protection and aftersun
- Market share – sunless tanning
- 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
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
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