Hair care: a push/pull market: though it remains the personal care industry's second largest market, hair care is struggling against the challenges of market maturity while seeking footholds in emerging regions. Potential is being created, however, as products are tailored to increasingly specific needs.(Hair Care)

Global Cosmetic Industry, May, 2008 by Kirillov, Alexander

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Hair care is succumbing to the challenges of market maturity, including discounting and private label competition. At $57 billion, it remains the personal care industry's second largest market, but with global growth under 5% a year, at a fixed USD exchange rate 2002-2007, its performance is below the industry average of 5.2%--and is a long way behind skin cares 7% growth rate. Manufacturers still see potential in the market, however, and launch activity remains as high as ever as they tailor products to increasingly specific needs.

For major players--particularly Unilever, L'Oreal and P&G--the strategy of micro-segmentation is paying off. All five of the leading global hair care brands--Sunsilk, Garnier Fructis, Head &...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Premium Content Partnership | HighBeam Research provides an in-depth online archive library of reference works.