Bath and Shower in the United Kingdom

PRE-COVID-19 PERFORMANCE

Emotional connection to brands and Instagram-worthy products

In line with the shift towards new premium attributes, consumption is becoming more purposeful, with consumers wanting to feel a greater emotional connection with the brand. Heritage brands are increasingly seen as outdated, and new storytelling brands that hold credentials such as vegan, cruelty-free, sustainable and natural, are capturing the consciousness of UK consumers.

UK consumers’ increasing eco-consciousness as Unilever pushes sustainable initiatives

Bath and shower has received a lot of attention for its environmental impact, given the volume of plastic used in the category due to the frequent usage of items like shower gel and liquid soap. A shift in attitudes towards sustainability has had an effect on bar soaps, as eco-conscious consumers make the switch back to bar soap from liquid soap.

Major brands losing out to smaller more innovative players

Unilever continued to lead bath and shower, ahead of PZ Cussons, in 2019. Together the two players own the top four brands Dove, Radox, Carex and Imperial Leather, all of which saw a decline in sales in 2019.

2020 AND BEYOND

COVID-19 impact

Sales of bath and shower are now expected to grow by 7% in 2020 at constant 2019 prices in light of the impact of COVID-19. This compares to the 2% rise forecast for 2020 during research conducted at the end of 2019 before the spread of COVID-19.

Affected products within bath and shower

Stockpiling was seen at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with this, in turn, encouraging further panic-buying due to concerns over product shortages in stores. Both antibacterial liquid soaps and hand sanitisers were among the most stockpiled products in the UK, not just in beauty and personal care, but among fmcg as a whole.

Recovery and opportunities

Not only will bath and shower products record stronger growth in 2020 at constant 2019 prices than expected during our research conducted at the end of 2019 before the spread of COVID-19, and compared to the previous year’s like-for-like performance, but this trend will also continue in the following years, albeit not to as great an extent as in 2020. Hygiene is likely to remain extremely important for UK consumers, with frequent hand washing or the use of hand sanitisers still paramount as a means of ensuring cleanliness both in the home and when out and about.

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