Baby and Child-Specific Products in Ireland

2021 DEVELOPMENTS

Skin care remains a priority for parents

With a continued focus on hygiene and local parents spending greater time at home with their babies and toddlers in an extended lockdown, baby care performed well in 2021, despite the pandemic’s sapping effect on disposable incomes. In line with historical trends, baby and child-specific skin care was the top performer in current value growth terms in 2021, followed by baby and child-specific toiletries and baby and child-specific hair care, as parents maintained their focus on allergies and the sensitivity of their babies’ skin.

Pandemic leads to shifts in brand share

Despite the category’s overall success, brands were redistributed in share terms, as major names lost ground to smaller boutiques, which increasingly offer baby and child-specific hair care, skin care and toiletries. This is largely attributed to proliferating concerns linked to the ingredients that are used in formulations, for both their babies’ skin and the environment.

Online sales continue to surge

Bricks-and-mortar closures, combined with strong promotional activity, drove parents online in search of lower prices and a wider range of options. Sales via e-commerce were also supported by consumers wanting to remain in the safety of their homes in the hope of shielding their babies from the virus.

PROSPECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Private label identifies huge opportunity

Boots and other private label producers outperformed many brands in 2021, as the pandemic’s effects continued to impact parents’ pockets. Their solid online presence and offer of free delivery services have quickly gained consumers’ attention.

Premiumisation to gain momentum across the category

The rising interest in sustainability will likely drive further product innovation in nature-identical ingredients that attempt to imitate natural compounds. They are synthetic but chemically identical to natural ingredients and thus protect the environment.