Stay ahead of the curve and secure future growth for your business with Mintel’s Baby and Children’s Personal Care Market Report. The report provides data-backed, consumer-led insights and opportunities within the industry for brands in the US.
Core Topics Analyzed
- Baby and children’s personal care market sales, forecast, and drivers.
- Competitive strategies and opportunities for diapers, wipes and personal care brands marketing to parents.
- Personal care and diaper purchasing patterns.
- Types of brands (eg mainstream, premium, store brand) purchased across subcategories.
- Resources most often used when researching baby and children’s products.
- Personal care purchase influencers beyond price.
US Baby and Children’s Personal Care Market Overview
Category outlook
While the overall category experienced sales growth in the past year, much of this can be credited to escalating prices, while unit volume has remained stable. The market is predominantly controlled by major mainstream players, yet smaller brands are carving out success by emphasizing premium positioning with a focus on enhanced effectiveness, sustainable qualities, and skincare-inspired assertions and ingredients.
Brand loyalty factors
The premium sector holds particular allure for individuals with higher household incomes, new parents, and fathers – pivotal target groups for cultivating brand loyalty. Nevertheless, brands should not overlook seasoned parents, who possess more familiarity with the category and have established routines.
Product purchase influencers
Regarding purchase influence, family and friends serve as the primary resources for research, yet new parents and fathers are more inclined to seek information from online sources, underscoring the significance of omnichannel marketing strategies.
Reasons consumers switch brands
Apart from price, ingredients, claims of sensitivity and gentleness, as well as safety, remain paramount for discerning parents. However, the obstacle lies in persuading and altering routines since most individuals indicate that they switch brands solely when their baby encounters a skin issue, as many stick to what works.
Report Scope
This Report covers diapers and training pants, disposable diapers, disposable training pants, wipes and moist towelettes, disposable baby wipes, moist towelettes, baby personal care products, baby soaps, baby ointments/creams, baby powder, baby lotions, baby shampoo, baby oil, and petroleum jelly.
Meet the Expert
Carson joined Mintel in 2022 and currently focuses on beauty and personal care Reports. Prior to Mintel, she worked in various product development and consumer insights roles focused on CPG and personal care within specialty retail, DTC, and contract manufacturing.
Despite an influx of clean, eco-friendly and premium options infiltrating the market, the category remains steadfastly rooted in safety, proven efficacy and value.
Carson Kitzmiller
Senior Analyst, Beauty & Personal Care
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Executive Summary
- What you need to know
- What consumers want and why
- Market Predictions
- Opportunities
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The Market
- Market Context
- Consumer prices rose by 3.4% in April, slightly down from March
- Graph 1: headline CPI and shelter CPI, 2022-24
- Consumer sentiment fell by 13% in May
- Graph 2: consumer sentiment index, 2021-24
- Market Drivers
- Nearly 35 million moms with children under age 18 in the US; more than 50 million who are moms of children of any age
- Graph 3: number of co-resident mothers in the US, by age of mother, 2022
- Graph 4: number of co-resident mothers in the US, 2022
- Fertility rate of younger women continues decline…
- Graph 5: fertility rate, by age of mother, 2016-21
- … slight increase among older women contributes to ongoing trend of increasing age of first-time moms
- Graph 6: average age of mother at first birth, 1980-2020
- Graph 7: share of births, by age of mother, 2020 vs 2000
- Market Size and Forecast
- Retail Sales and Forecast of baby and children's personal care market
- Growth slows after strong few years
- Sales growth attributed to rising prices
- Graph 8: dollar sales % change and volume sales % change in multi-outlet sales, by segment, 2023
- US: value, average price and volume of multi-outlet disposable diapers/training pants sales, 2019-23
- US: value, average price and volume of multi-outlet baby wipes/moist towelette sales, 2019-23
- US: value, average price and volume of multi-outlet baby personal care products sales, 2019-23
- Market Segmentation
- Baby personal care products crosses the billion dollar threshold
- Graph 9: retail Sales and Forecast of baby and children's personal care products, by segment, 2019-29
- Retail Sales and Forecast of baby and children's personal care products, by segment, 2019-29
- Market Share and Key Players
- Big players maintain while smaller brands make a run
- US: multi-outlet sales of disposable diapers/training pants, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2023 and 2024
- 'Non-toxic' positioned diaper brands see big successes
- US: multi-outlet sales of baby wipes/moist towelettes, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2023 and 2024
- Newer players make gain market share in the baby wipes space
- Vaseline sees double-digit growth
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Competitive Strategies
- Personal Care Products
- Simplicity and elevated aesthetics thrive in premium babycare
- Babycare goes ultra premium
- Premium 'clean' brands look to be a trusted go-to for the whole family
- Dove aims to pivot children towards play
- Brands aim to keep it playful for kids
- Diapers & Wipes
- Diaper brands evolve to include eco-positioning in new launches
- 'Forever chemicals' cause concern
- 'Skinspiration': Huggies targets skin health-conscious parents
- 'Skinspiration': Dyper goes ingredient-first with charcoal
- Messaging to Mom
- 'Momming' in a digital world: communal support desired
- Moms want to align with brands to express their identity
- Graph 10: attitudes toward external influences, by gender and parental status, 2022
- Brands promote the realness of motherhood, parenting and postpartum
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer Fast Facts
- Baby and children's personal care and diapers/wipes purchasing
- Personal care sees slight lift in purchase
- Graph 11: trended baby product purchases, 2022-24, 2023
- Prioritize ultra moisturizing for Black parents
- Graph 12: baby personal care product purchasing, by race, 2023
- Bundle essentials for cost-savings
- Graph 13: baby personal care product purchasing, by select financial situation, 2023
- Disposable diapers see most usage, but reusables gain traction
- Graph 14: trended baby product purchases, 2022-24 (December 2023), 2023
- First-time parents may be more apt to try reusables
- Graph 15: baby product purchases, by parental status, 2023
- Gen Z parents reaching for disposables, even with their focus on eco-friendly materials
- Graph 16: baby personal care product purchasing, by select generation, 2023
- Types of brands purchased: Diapers & wipes
- Premium makes headway across disposable products
- Graph 17: typical brand type purchasing for diapers and wipes, 2023
- Premium appeals to those with $75K+ HHI
- Graph 18: brand type typically purchased for diapers (NET – Any disposable diaper/training pants), by HHI, 2023
- Premium piques the interest of FTPs, but keeping loyalty may become an obstacle
- Graph 19: brand type typically purchased for diapers (NET – Any disposable diaper/training pants), by first time parent status, 2023
- Premium diaper brands mimic lifestyle brands and emotional connection
- Types of brands purchased: Personal care
- Mainstream brands dominate, but store brands have huge opportunity to gain
- Graph 20: brand type typically purchased for personal care (NET – Any personal care), 2023
- Retailers promote private label options with convenience, pediatrician-approved and 'clean' attributes
- Target premium to dads through clean and luxury positioning
- Graph 21: premium brand purchasing (NET – Any personal care product), by gender and parental status, 2023
- Push protection and safety in the premium realm
- Graph 22: brand type typically purchased for personal care products, by personal care subcategory, 2023
- Opportunity: market elevated claims in sun protection products
- 'Skinified' sunscreen for kids in the premium space
- Resources most often used for diapers & wipes research
- Continue to use the power of referrals and reviews
- Graph 23: resources most often used when researching diapers, wipes and baby personal care (NET – Any Rank), by age of children in household, 2023
- Have a seamless diaper messaging strategy across in-person and digital channels
- Graph 24: resources most often used for diapers and wipes – Ranked (Up to 3), 2023
- Target first-time parents through modern digital channels
- Parents of young children lean more heavily into experts and personal circle
- Graph 25: resources most often used when researching diapers or wipes (NET – Any Rank), by age of children in household, 2023
- Higher HHIs may have the luxury of extended research
- Graph 26: resources most often used when researching diapers or wipes (NET – Any Rank), by household income, 2023
- Resources most often used for personal care research
- Personal circles the top influencer for personal care
- Graph 27: resources most often used for baby personal care – Ranked (Up to 3), 2023
- Dads may turn to online resources more than Moms
- Graph 28: resources most often used when researching baby personal care (NET – Any Rank), by parental status and gender , 2023
- Black parents seek advice in-store
- Graph 29: resources most often used for diapers and wipes – (NET – Any Rank), by race, 2023
- Personal care purchase influencers
- Keep ingredients at the forefront of messaging
- Prioritize transparency
- Graph 30: purchase influencers excluding price, 2023
- Capture most with natural and sensitive positioning
- Don't forget about fragrance safety and expectations
- Graph 31: purchase influencers excluding price, 2023
- FTPs may take an ingredient-first approach, seasoned parents know the importance of sensitive claims
- Graph 32: purchase influencers excluding price, by first time parent, 2023
- Pediatrician-recommendations hold weight for parents of newborns and young toddlers
- Graph 33: purchase influencers excluding price, by age of child in or out of the household, 2023
- Connect personal and children's use, especially for Black parents
- Graph 34: purchase influencers excluding price, by select race, 2023
- Support curl maintenance early
- Diaper attitudes
- First-timers seek natural diapers more than experienced parents
- Graph 35: natural material preferences, by first-time parent, 2023
- Showcase efficacy at the start
- Graph 36: brand attitudes toward diapers, by parental status and gender, 2023
- Simplify trial for experimental parents
- Support parents of multiples through protective and longevity attributes
- Graph 37: diaper and wipe behaviors, by number of children in household, 2023
- Present efficacy as a means to save both time and money
- Graph 38: diaper and wipe attitudes, by household income, 2023
- Highlight subscription values as convenient
- Graph 39: receive baby personal care supplies or diapers in a subscription package, by parental status and household income, 2023
- Personal care attitudes
- Familiarity, routine and convenience
- Mass market banks on brand loyalists
- First-time parents more apt to experiment
- Eco-conscious and natural mindsets may be a luxury
- Support parents through children's evolving lifestages
- Safety and concern about topical products goes beyond infanthood
- Graph 40: concerns about safety in baby personal care products, by gender and age of children under 18 in the household, 2023
- Keep safety standards front and center
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Appendix
- Market Definition
- Consumer Research Methodology
- TURF Methodology
- Bases for brand purchasing type of select baby personal care products
- Bases for concerns about safety in children's personal care products
- TURF Methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and Terms
- Forecast
- Forecast fan chart
- Fan Chart Forecast Values
- The market remains relatively flat when accounting for inflation
- US: average annual household spending on baby and children's personal care products, 2019-24
- US: total retail sales of baby and children's personal care products, by segment, at current prices, 2022 and 2024
- US: total retail sales and forecast of disposable diapers/training pants, at current prices, 2019-29
- US: total retail sales and forecast of disposable diapers/training pants, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2019-29
- US: total retail sales and forecast of baby wipes/moist towelettes, at current prices, 2019-29
- US: total retail sales and forecast of baby wipes/moist towelettes, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2019-29
- US: total retail sales and forecast of baby personal care products, at current prices, 2019-29
- US: total retail sales and forecast of baby personal care products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2019-29
- US: total retail sales of baby and children's personal care products, by channel, at current prices, 2019-24
- US: total retail sales of baby and children's personal care products, by channel, at current prices, 2022 and 2024
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