Sun Care in Sweden

PROSPECTS

The exceptionally hot and sunny spring and summer help drive sales

Sun care is a seasonal category in Sweden, as consumers mainly apply sun protection during sunny days in the summer, and increasingly during the spring. The Swedish summer was particularly hot and sunny in 2018, with several weeks of more than 30°C temperatures, which is an unusual phenomenon in Sweden.

Self-tanning declines due to lower demand for tanned skin

Self-tanning received strong attention in Sweden in the last few years, seeing years of consecutive growth. In 2018, however, there was a change to this trend, partly due to the warm and sunny summer, as Swedes were outside more and got a natural tan.

Chemists/pharmacies is a growing channel for sun care

Chemists/pharmacies and internet retailing were the fastest growing distribution channels in sun care in 2018, as Swedes have a higher level of trust in pharmacy brands in sun care than beauty brands. This mainly holds true for sun protection, which saw one of the strongest growth rates in 2018, leading chemists/pharmacies to gain share at the expense of grocery retailers and beauty specialist retailers.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

ACO Hud Nordic leads sun care

ACO Hud Nordic led sun care in 2018, due to its strong share in sun protection and the growing trust in pharmacy bands within this category. The company’s brand ACO Sol has a long-standing presence in Sweden, and ACO is a leader within pharmacy skin care, as well as selling several OTC products.

Premium brands decline, but will outperform mass brands in the forecast period

Premium brands faced difficulties in 2018, as they account for a comparatively small share of sales in sun protection; exceptions were the premium pharmacy brands La Roche-Posay and Vichy. Few consumers demand premium sun protection brands which are not pharmacy brands, as Swedes have a lower level of trust in beauty brands.

Innovations are vital for penetrating the market

Many new brands are emerging in sun care, as there is demand for brands in niches offering innovations. Evy Technology quickly gained ground in Sweden with its transparent mousse, which enables consumers to avoid grease stains on their clothing.

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