Description
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Providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis of the First Aid – US market including the behaviours, preferences and habits of the consumer.
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Covered in this report
First aid items are a staple in homes that want to be prepared for routine cuts and scrapes. This category has traditionally been driven by value, with sales trending flat. However, the COVID-19 pandemic is encouraging consumers to protect their health and wellness more than ever before; thus, this category is experiencing some surges of interest – particularly when it comes to disinfecting and protective products such as antiseptic ointments, masks and gloves. For homebound consumers, being prepared for emergencies is more important than ever, particularly if medical care is difficult to find or risky to seek out. However, higher sales were not found across all categories of first aid, and it will prove difficult for brands to maintain this interest going forward.
Expert analysis from a specialist in the field
Written by Marissa Gilbert, a leading analyst in the Health & Wellness sector, her extensive knowledge delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
Although all consumers have purchased some type of first aid product, the category has lacked excitement and significant sales growth for some time. The intense focus on health created by the pandemic has changed that for the category in 2020. First aid companies should take advantage of this moment to innovate and reach traditionally less-engaged audiences who are currently thinking more about health.
Marissa Gilbert
Associate Director, US Reports – Health and Wellness
Table of Contents
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- COVID-19: Market context
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Executive Summary
- Top takeaways
- A shrinking, value-driven market gets a COVID-19 opportunity
- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of first aid products, at current prices, 2015-25
- Impact of COVID-19 on first aid
- Figure 2: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on first aid, November 2020
- Opportunities and Challenges
- Brands must help people take control of their health safety as society reemerges
- Target the chronic health audience to maintain sales momentum
- Figure 3: Purchase of first aid products, by chronic health manager status, September 2020
- Connect with the untapped audience of young men
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The Market – Key Takeaways
- COVID leads to short-term sales spike
- Accessories make up over half of the market
- Chronic health managers, COVID-19 worriers drive sales
- Supply chains prove an advantage
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Market Size and Forecast
- COVID-19 bumps up a stagnant market
- Figure 4: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of first aid products, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 5: Total US sales and forecast of first aid products, at current prices, 2015-25
- Impact of COVID-19 on first aid products
- Figure 6: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on first aid, November 2020
- Lockdown
- Reemergence
- Recovery
- COVID-19: US context
- Learnings from the last recession
- COVID-19 bumps up a stagnant market
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Segment Performance
- Accessories the largest and fastest-growing category
- Figure 7: Sales of first aid products, by segment, 2018 and 2020
- COVID-19 boosts already respectable growth for accessories
- Figure 8: Sales of first aid accessories, at current prices, 2015-20
- Treatments see even higher pandemic growth
- Figure 9: Sales of first aid treatment, at current prices, 2015-20
- Slump continues for foot care devices
- Figure 10: Sales of foot care devices, at current prices, 2015-20
- Supermarkets, drugstores gain during pandemic
- Figure 11: Total retail sales of first aid products, by channel, 2019 and 2020
- Accessories the largest and fastest-growing category
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Market Factors
- Chronic health managers are key audience
- Figure 12: Purchase of first aid products, by chronic health manager status, September 2020
- Fear of COVID-19
- If you sell it, they will come
- Chronic health managers are key audience
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Market Opportunities
- Embracing diversity
- Figure 13: Tru-Colour Bandages
- Skin care crossover?
- Figure 14: Hydrocolloid products, 2019-2020
- Embracing diversity
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Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
- Many players split market share
- COVID-19 demand spikes lift some brands
- From healing to stylin’
- Doing it naturally
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Market Share
- A highly fragmented market
- Figure 15: Sales of first aid products, by company, 2019 and 2020
- Thermometers experience sales spike
- Figure 16: Sales of first aid acccessories, by company, 2019 and 2020
- Germ killers take on new importance
- Figure 17: Sales of first aid treatments, by company, 2019 and 2020
- At-home pedicures provide some lift to foot care
- Figure 18: Sales of foot care devices, by company, 2019 and 2020
- A highly fragmented market
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Competitive Strategies
- Not just a treatment, but a lifestyle
- Figure 19: Welly products, 2019-20
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- Figure 20: Design-focused Band-Aid products, 2019-20
- It’s only natural
- Figure 21: First aid products featuring natural remedies, 2019-20
- Another opportunity for CBD?
- Not just a treatment, but a lifestyle
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The Consumer – Key Takeaways
- Women, seniors the core consumers
- COVID-19 inspires some changes
- Durability, other functional benefits matter more than design
- More experienced shoppers just see what’s in-store
- Healthy sales for masks and gloves
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Purchasing Behaviors
- Women, older people more likely to buy
- Figure 22: Purchase of first aid products, by gender and age, September 2020
- Lowest-income consumers noticeably less likely to purchase
- Figure 23: Purchase of first aid products, by household income, September 2020
- Moms do the first aid buying
- Figure 24: Purchase of first aid products, by gender and parental status, September 2020
- Medication, supplements most purchased during COVID
- Figure 25: Purchasing behaviors since the beginning of the year, September 2020
- Women, older people more likely to buy
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Purchasing and Usage Changes
- Young men re-engage with first aid
- Figure 26: First aid product changes since the beginning of the year, by age and gender, September 2020
- Urban dwellers more likely to buy post-COVID-19
- Figure 27: First aid product changes since the beginning of the year, by area of residence, September 2020
- Taking stock the primary step to soothe COVID-19 fears
- Figure 28: First aid product changes since the beginning of the year, by level of concern about COVID-19 exposure risk, September 2020
- Young men re-engage with first aid
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Important Product Attributes
- Functional attributes reign
- Figure 29: Important product attributes, by gender and age, September 2020
- Chronic health managers value infection protection, shelf life, waterproof
- Figure 30: Important product attributes, by health manager status, September 2020
- Durability, brand, fast-acting key for first aid overall
- Figure 31: TURF Analysis – Important product attributes, September 2020
- Functional attributes reign
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Resources of Influence
- Young men heavily rely on recommendations
- Figure 32: Resources used when researching first aid brands to purchase, by age and gender, September 2020
- Hispanics also value recommendations
- Figure 33: Resources used when researching first aid brands to purchase, by race and Hispanic origin, September 2020
- Young men heavily rely on recommendations
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Interest in First Aid Innovations
- First aid innovations can bring excitement to the category
- Figure 34: Interest in first aid innovations, September 2020
- Younger people more interested in innovations
- Figure 35: Interest in first aid innovations, by age and gender, September 2020
- Hispanic consumers most interested in new features
- Figure 36: Interest in first aid innovations, by race and Hispanic origin, September 2020
- First aid innovations can bring excitement to the category
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Attitudes and Behavior toward PPE
- COVID-19 worries drive sales of PPE
- Figure 37: Purchases of PPE products, by key demographics, September 2020
- Consumers stock up on masks
- Figure 38: Purchasing behaviors since the beginning of the year, September 2020
- Majority wear masks for protection – for now
- Figure 39: Attitudes toward face masks, September 2020
- Young men least engaged
- Figure 40: Attitudes toward face masks, by age and gender, September 2020
- Education a clear driver for mask adoption
- Figure 41: Attitudes toward face masks, by education level, September 2020
- COVID-19 worries drive sales of PPE
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
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Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 42: Total US sales and forecast of market, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
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Appendix – Segment Performance
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- Figure 43: Sales of first aid accessories, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-20
- Figure 44: Sales of first aid treatments, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-20
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- Figure 45: Sales of foot care devices, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-20
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 46: Table – TURF Analysis – Important product attributes, September 2020
- TURF Methodology
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