Bath and Shower in India

PROSPECTS

Popular natural skin care ingredients make their way into bath and shower products

Consumers in India are increasingly embracing healthy lifestyles, due to which there is growing demand for natural and herbal bath and shower products. As bathing is perceived as a therapeutic activity to help relax the mind and body, established brands such as Biotique, Khadi Naturals, Forest Essentials and Kama Ayurveda are leveraging the natural trend by incorporating plant- and food-based ingredients such as plum, almond, pomegranate, lime, rosewater and turmeric, commonly found in skin care products into bar soaps and shower gels.

Manufacturers focus on adding value to body wash and shower gels

The penetration of body wash and shower gels is much lower in comparison to that of bar soaps in India. The demand for such products mainly stems from metro cities and urban areas in tier II cities.

Young consumers drive sales of bath and shower products through internet retailing

Bath and shower products, especially bar soaps and talcum powder, are available in different pack sizes across a wide range of channels including supermarkets and hypermarkets, traditional grocers and beauty speciality retailers. Whilst these distribution channels continue to account for the majority of sales, internet retailing registered the highest growth in 2018.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Hindustan Unilever remains the leading company in bath and shower

Hindustan Unilever continues to dominate bath and shower in India due to the strong presence of its brands including Lifebuoy, Dove and Pond’s amongst others across all bath and shower product categories. Through these brands and a well-established distribution network, the company is able to cater to different consumer segments across rural and urban areas.

New entrants and product launches in bath and shower

In December 2018, McNroe expanded its Wild Stone brand to include the Edge Series, comprising shower gel, shaving foam and face wash, to strengthen its position in the men’s bath and shower category. Earlier in the year, established American bath products and skin care company Bath & Body Works forayed into India with the launch of its offline store in Delhi.

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