Specialty products turn bath into fun, fragrant experience

Drug Store News, July 6, 1998 by Andrea M. Grossman

But, the advent of retail chains such as Bath & Body Works and H20 triggered the mass market to open its eyes-and ultimately accommodate- the consumer who had been drawn to grab the simple, affordable luxuries in life: specialty bath products. Their success proved to manufacturers that the middle ground, or classic bath segment, should be addressed, too.

"The whole [bath] category is being used as a fragrance experience with a lot of novelty and fun," said Des McEttrick, marketing director for Calgon.

But, McEttrick added, "The segment needs more definition since it's still difficult to put a finger on bow the industry defines bath. Prior to body washes, it was easy for manufacturers and retailers to draw the line. [Now], the segment needs a lot of thought."

One executive who follows the bath category agreed, saying, "Bath is a gray area where manufacturers can say their product is a shower gel, but if it doesn't have a handle or say shower gel on the label, it could wind up merchandised with liquid soaps."

Even buyers are somewhat confused. Mention to them the words 'bath segment' and the first response will be, "Do you mean bar soaps or body washes or specialty products?"

The growth of bath has also affected buying responsibilities, as cosmetics and bath buyers now split bath accounts among themselves. Usually, the split runs according to where the product is merchandised in the store.

These issues have made it difficult to measure who sells what better than whom within bath. But, the general response from buyers and retailers reveals that bath is segmented into three categories: bar soap, classic or commodity bath [body washes by traditional bar soap players] and specialty bath. One thing's for sure: Bath is managed differently from one chain to another.

Retailer merchandising options

Craig Ross, Kmart's category manager for skin care and soap, handles the purchasing and placement for classic bath products. Kmart stores can afford the space to merchandise classic bath separate from household chemicals and away from specialty bath. And, according to Ross, the category is only getting bigger as introductions of gels by traditional bar soap players increase.

"Kmart's classic body wash sales are driven by the success of the Oil of Olay, Zest, Dove and Caress brands, all of which had their start in bar form," Ross said. But, he assured that even though there has been a slight transition [from bar soaps] to the body washes, that "doesn't mean bar soap sales have declined, since their sales are pretty much flat in the industry."

One buyer from a leading drug store chain said, "Though some drug stores are limited on space, I've made efforts to separate the different bath categories. In drug stores, you'll see that bar soaps are slowly making their way to the bath aisle and out of the household cleaner and chemicals aisle."

Other chains, such as Harmon Discount Stores, have made due with the space they have available.

"We have Coty's The Healing Garden line near cosmetics and San Francisco Soap and Freeman in-line and across from hand and body lotions. Bar soaps are in the same aisle, but they are in the base deck of hand and body lotions," said HBA buyer Jeff Rubin. Rubin said his chain "doesn't need to make extra space available for more than a few specialty bath products" since demand isn't high and space availability is pretty low. And, with many of the chain's units in busy, time-deficient areas, such as New York City, trends such as aromatherapy aren't as successful.

"I feel that in the New York market, people just don't have the time to take a luxurious bath. The commodity types of washes and gels do better for us."

But, chains that can spare the space say the bath category needs some kind of presence if it's going to be put it in a set.

"Customers want an ambiance," said Angela Aguiar, category manager at Brooks Pharmacy, "so you need to put the products in an endcap, which will draw them to it."

In about 130 of Brooks' stores, Aguiar carries Sarah Michaels in an endcap. The other stores carry Paris Presents, also in an endcap. The overall bath segment, which includes bar soap and classic bath, has grown to more than eight feet; in some stores it's even 12 feet.

"Body washes are here to stay," she said. These are merchandised with skin care products with bar soaps on the bottom of the deck. Clairol's Herbal Essences, she said, have been the hottest items on shelves in recent months.

"Herbal Essences has been doing very well for us. We've even gone to carrying it in the largest size available," she continued.

Aguiar added that sales have been up since she "weeded out a lot of the washes that weren't driving sales." She stepped away from Zest, Dial and Tone and went with brands such as Caress, Dove, Oil of Olay and Herbal Essences.

"Men have even come on board in bath with the Softsoap brand," Aguiar said.

The category, she believes, will be incremental, like it was with mousses.

"Back then, every hair care player entered with a mousse launch and ultimately only a few brands survived. As bath continues, some manufacturers will fall by the wayside."