Bath and Shower in the United Arab Emirates

PRE-COVID-19 PERFORMANCE

Natural credentials and explicitly feminine positioning emerge as marketing themes

One of the most notable trends in the marketing of bath and shower during 2019 was that many products focused on more feminine and sensual packaging to present a more indulgent and premium image. In addition, many of these products also made use of floral-themed ingredients and scents and this is being emphasised in the marketing and packaging of body wash/shower gel.

Sales of bath and shower dominated by basic products for everyday hygiene use

The hot and humid climate in the United Arab Emirates and the general requirement to be clean and well-presented all times means that it is common for consumers in the country to have a bath or shower more than once daily. The country’s intensely hot climate and the fact that the vast majority of the population have access to a reliable supply of clean running water means that twice daily showers are commonplace and this fuels strong demand for bath and shower, particularly body wash/shower gel.

Major international players remain dominant, with Unilever in the lead

Unilever Gulf leads sales of bath and shower in the United Arab Emirates despite its value share in the category slipping over the course of 2019. Second place in the category is held by another multinational consumer goods giant, Reckitt Benckiser, which also registered a slight decline in its value share over the course of 2019 due to the challenges faced by its brand Dettol due to the declining consumer interest in bar soap, the category from which Dettol derives much of the sales.

2020 AND BEYOND

COVID-19 impact

Sales of bath and shower are now expected to grow by 3% in 2020 in 2019 constant value terms in light of the impact of COVID-19. This compares favourably with the expected marginal increase forecast for 2020 during research conducted at the end of 2019 before the spread of COVID-19.

Affected products within bath and shower

Bath and shower products that are seen as essential such as body wash/shower gel, liquid soap and bar soap are likely to have benefited from the increased focus on personal hygiene which has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, these products will also be in high demand as people are spending more time at home rather than at work or socialising outside of the home, supporting higher sales of these products in retail outlets.

Recovery and opportunities

Bath and shower is one of the few beauty and personal care categories that is expected to have been positively affected by the COVID-19 situation during 2020. However, sales are likely to have returned to normal by 2021, with the trends that were in evidence prior to the onset of COVID-19 expected to continue supporting moderate positive sales growth in the category over the forecast period.

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