Wipes in France

2021 DEVELOPMENTS

Growth stalls but high value sales remain for overall wipes category

Wipes saw a much stronger current value growth rate in 2020 than was seen in any other year of the review period with COVID-19 having a much stronger impact on this retail hygiene category than any other. Wipes do not typically have fixed demand, thus the periods of home seclusion and heightened hygiene habits led to rising sales.

Normalisation within personal wipes as consumers revert to pre-pandemic habits

Within personal wipes, after seeing many years of current value decline, 2020 led to a year of mild value growth with consumers showing greater demand for moist toilet wipes, general purpose wipes, and baby wipes to aid their new hygiene habits. General purpose wipes were used by consumers to clean their hands and face after wearing a mask and benefitted from their versatility with some also using them to wipe down surfaces.

Procter & Gamble extends strong lead, but Essity also performs well

Procter & Gamble will remain the overall leader in wipes in value terms in 2021, thanks to its wide range of popular brands, which includes Pampers, Swiffer, and Mr Propre. The company will record a further increase in its value share in 2021, mainly due to the strong performance of its Swiffer brand in floor cleaning systems and its brand Lingettes Mr Propre in all purpose cleaning wipes.

PROSPECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Normalisation expected with convenience and maturity likely to be the main influences on category growth prospects

After a peak performance in current value growth in 2020 and near-identical sales in 2021, wipes is set to return to a slow rate of growth in 2022 and for the rest of the forecast period, with limited potential for change. This growth will be like that recorded in the years before the pandemic struck.

Product developments likely to focus on eco-friendly and “clean” products due to new EU wet wipes regulations

Further new innovations and product developments are expected in wipes, particularly in terms of offering “cleaner” and more eco-friendly products. As well as wanting to satisfy consumer trends, most manufacturers will want to avoid placing the ‘dead turtle’ logo on their product as part of the 2021 EU law that aims to protect marine life.

Potential for private label due to quality at reasonable prices

Private label continued to lose share in the pandemic, but still accounts for around a fifth of retail value sales of wipes. With greater concerns over hygiene set to linger as COVID-19 ebbs away and household budgets likely to be squeezed due to the economic fallout, private label stands in good stead to rebuild its position over the forecast period.