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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Consumer trends
- Competitive strategies
- Bandages can blend in or stand out
- Consumer interest in natural pushes bandage innovation forward
- Smartphone technology threatens thermometer sales
- Market predictions
- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of first aid products, at current prices, 2018-28
- Figure 2: Category outlook, 2023-28
- Opportunities
- Gen Z, Millennials looking for diverse shades and designs
- Figure 3: Important product attributes, by generation, 2023
- Added benefits can revitalize stagnant category
- Figure 4: Trial and interest in first aid innovation, 2023
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Market Size and Forecast
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- Short-term sales spike leads to declines in succeeding years
- Figure 5: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of first aid products, at current prices, 2018-28
- Figure 6: Total US retail sales and forecast of first aid products, at current prices, 2018-28
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Segment Performance
- Accessories continue to be biggest market seller
- Figure 7: Total US retail sales of first aid products, by segment, at current prices, 2021 and 2023
- Consumers are most often shopping online or at warehouse clubs
- Figure 8: Total US retail sales of first aid products, by channel, at current prices, 2018-23
- Accessories continue to be biggest market seller
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Market Share/Key Players
- Johnson & Johnson retains significant sales margin over Unilever
- Sales of first aid by company
- Figure 9: Multi-outlet sales of first aid, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
- Johnson & Johnson retains significant sales margin over Unilever
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Current Product Usage
- Vast majority of US adults have purchased first aid products
- Figure 10: First aid product purchasing – NET, 2023
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- Figure 11: First aid product purchasing, by type of purchase, 2023
- Women more likely to keep well-stocked first aid cabinet
- Figure 12: First aid product purchasing, by type of purchase, by gender and age, 2023
- Vast majority of US adults have purchased first aid products
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- Innovation in bandages
- Use bandages to diagnose infection
- Figure 13: Curad x Kendra Dandy Facebook post
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- Figure 14: BAND-AID OURTONE Instagram post
- New apps and technology aim to turn consumer smartphones into thermometers
- Smartphone infrared technology
- There’s an app for that?
- Materials innovation focuses on sustainability
- Using fruit for post-surgical bandages
- Infusing healing ingredients directly into wounds
- Figure 15: Curad Naturals Facebook post
- Innovation in bandages
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The First Aid Consumer – Fast Facts
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First Aid Product Purchasing
- Stocking up behavior tempers purchases
- Figure 16: First aid product purchasing, 2020 and 2023
- PPE reserves bountiful, medication and supplements most purchased
- Figure 17: First aid product purchasing behavior, 2023
- Parents are preparing for first aid needs
- Figure 18: Stocking up on first aid products, by parental status, 2023
- Educate parents on the utility of liquid bandages
- Figure 19: Private label liquid bandage offerings, 2022 and 2023
- Stocking up behavior tempers purchases
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First Aid Usage Behaviors
- Nearly 20% of US adults are trading down
- Figure 20: First aid usage behaviors, 2023
- Younger consumers want to bundle their products
- Figure 21: First aid usage behaviors, by gender and age, 2023
- Nearly 20% of US adults are trading down
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Important Product Attributes
- Functional attributes remain critical
- Figure 22: Important product attributes, 2023
- Gen Z, Millennials looking for diverse shades and designs
- Figure 23: Important product attributes, by generation, 2023
- Functional attributes remain critical
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Purchase Influencers
- Position of trust: recommendations highly regarded; habits hard to break
- Figure 24: Resources of influence, 2023
- Older consumers know what they want, but younger are still open to recommendations
- Figure 25: Resources of influence, by age and gender, 2023
- Position of trust: recommendations highly regarded; habits hard to break
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Attitudes toward First Aid and Products
- One third do not intervene with healing process
- Figure 26: Attitudes toward first aid and products, 2023
- One third do not intervene with healing process
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Trial and Interest in First Aid Innovations
- Added benefits can revitalize stagnant category
- Figure 27: Trial and interest in first aid innovation, 2023
- Figure 28: First Honey Manuka honey bandages, 2022
- Added benefits can revitalize stagnant category
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Data sources
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Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 29: Total US retail sales and forecast of first aid products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2018-28
- Figure 30: US supermarket sales of first aid products, at current prices, 2018-23
- Figure 31: US drugstore sales of first aid products, at current prices, 2018-23
- Figure 32: US sales of first aid products through other retail channels, at current prices, 2018-23
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Appendix – Companies and Brands
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- Figure 33: Multi-outlet sales of first aid accessories, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
- Figure 34: Multi-outlet sales of first aid treatments, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
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- Figure 35: US multi-outlet sales of foot care devices, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
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Stay ahead of the curve and secure future growth for your business with Mintel’s US First Aid 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 First Aid products industry including market size, share and forecasted growth.
Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.
Key Issues Covered in this Report
- First aid purchasing habits
- Information resources consumers consult to purchase first aid products
- Attitudes toward first aid products
- Changes to first aid purchasing habits since the beginning of this year
- Trial or interest in first aid innovations
US First Aid Industry – Current landscape
The US first aid products market saw flat growth in 2021 and small declines in 2022 and 2023. Mintel predicts further slow growth due to lengthy purchase cycles. First aid products are typically only replaced when they are used or expire, and consumers are only buying what they need.
- US first aid products market size: Mintel estimates the market to decrease by 0.2% in 2023.
US First Aid Products – What’s next for the market?
Purchasing habits for first aid products are focused on function. Brands that can prove efficacy can increase consumer loyalty. Added benefits can also help revive the market, with nearly 80% of US adults interested in first aid products with additional functional ingredients.
To learn more about the US First Aid market, including a five-year forecast, analysis of consumer behaviour, and recommendations for market opportunities, purchase our full US First Aid Market Report.
More About this Report
For the purposes of this report, Mintel has defined the first aid market as: first aid accessories, first aid treatments, and foot care devices.
This report covers market share and sales of the key players in the US first aid market including Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Yellow Wood Partners LLC, Beiersdorf Inc, 3M Company, and more.
Expert Analysis from an Industry Specialist
This report, written by Jennifer White Boehm, a leading BPCH analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the US first aid market and add expert context to the numbers.
Download Report SummaryFirst aid products are essential purchases with potentially lengthy purchase cycles. Consumer interest in the category centers on its functional nature – they simply need these products when minor injuries occur. Short-term market gains in 2020 have given way to a market that will see slower growth in 2023 and beyond. Looking to the future, brands will need to focus on plastic alternatives, along with functional benefits added to first aid products to revive consumer interest and purchasing.
Jennifer White Boehm
Director, US BPCH Reports
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