Forecast sees lower bath, body sales

Drug Store News, Sept 8, 2008 by Antoinette Alexander

The bath and body care market at mass has, in recent years, felt the impact of such specialty retailers as Bath & Body Works but mass-market manufacturers have remained at the forefront, working to bring beauty shoppers the latest in product innovation.

Such innovation will remain critical going forward as research firm Euromonitor International predicted a decline in sales of bath and body products in the coming years.

"Body lotions are seen as commodities, with little consumer loyalty shown to these products. Firming/anti-cellulite body care is likely to experience a greater decline, of 20 percent, as most products do not live up to their claims and consumer expectations," stated Euromon-itor International in its most recent U.S. Skin Care report.

Hoping to bolster category sales are manufacturers like Alberto-Culver, whose portfolio includes St. Ives. The company introduced for 2008 its new line of In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polishes inspired by prestige.

Infused with sugar crystals and other natural ingredients to gently exfoliate and cleanse skin, the products are aimed to drive category growth with an incremental in-shower usage. The line includes a Renewing formula with collagen elastin, a smoothing formula with mineral therapy and a moisturizing formula with oatmeal and shea butter.

Also new for 2008 is the St. Ives Cellulite Shield, a targeted anti-cellulite regime that promises to visibly reduce the appearance of cellulite in two weeks. The regime includes a gel-cream for targeted problem areas and a lotion for all-over cellulite control. The products contain a complex of caffeine, green tea, citrus and menthol.

Under its Soft & Beautiful franchise, Alberto-Culver has introduced a line of products to treat the skin care needs of women of color. The line includes a MoistureSoft body lotion, body butter, body oil gel, hand cream, exfoliating body polish and firming lotion.

As previously reported by Drug Store News, skin and beauty care company Beiersdorf launched for the first half of 2008 the Good-bye Cellulite Body Beauty Program, which is comprised of a gel-cream and dietary supplement capsules; Nivea Natural Tone lotion for skin of color; and Nivea for Men body wash.

Leveraging the popularity of natural or organic products, Freeman Beauty has developed the new Good Stuff Organics line of face, body and hair products. All of the products are free of synthetic dyes, preservatives, parabens, sulfates and phthalates. They are packaged in eco-friendly post-consumer packaging made from recycled plastic.

For the body, the line offers Good Stuff Organics creamy body wash, exfoliating body scrub, moisture whipped body butter, moisture whipped hand creme, soothing toot balm and invigorating foot scrub.

In addition to wading into the men's grooming segment with a line of face and body lotions made just for him, Unilever's Vaseline has expanded its Intensive Rescue line with the new Vaseline Clinical Therapy for extremely dry skin.

According to the company, the new prescription-strength moisturizer is clinically proven to provide 60 percent more moisture than a prescription moisturizer (in a 14-day Skicon test for skin hydration).

Vaseline is supporting the launch through in-store marketing initiatives including live in-store education and demonstrations, at-shelf sampling, in-store signage and displays, and online retail samples. The initiatives begin rolling out in October and will expand throughout the year and into 2009.

ANTOINETTE ALEXANDER

SENIOR EDITOR

Bath and body care sales

                                                  Period
                                                  growth    Forecast
                            2007 *     2002 *    2002-07     2012 *

Bath and shower products   $4,603.5   $4,518.7     1.9%     $4,577.8
Body care                   1,833.8    1,669.5     9.8       1,586.9

Source: Euromonitor International

* in millions