Whiteners put the polish in toothpaste sales

Drug Store News, Oct 6, 1997 by Peter Malbin

Whitening toothpastes are adding polish to the oral care category this year.

Major manufacturers are placing their bets and advertising budgets on whiteners, and retailers are reporting that these high-ticket toothpastes are popular with image-conscious shoppers.

"Whitening pastes are selling really well," said Yvette Venable, a spokes-person for Walgreens. "Mentadent and Rembrandt are showing significant increases at Walgreens."

At Happy Harry's, the only segment that is up in the toothpaste category is whiteners, noted Barbara Kuhn, a buyer for the chain. "Aquafresh and Colgate are selling well."

According to John Cunningham, a buyer for May's Drug Stores, unit sales at the chain are pretty much flat in the toothpaste category, but "dollar sales are up five percentage points because of the whiteners, which have higher price points."

In the whitening category, premium brands are doing well for May's Cunningham said. "They're up probably 15 percent. Rembrandt is still doing well, and Aquafresh is continuing to do really well,"

Rembrandt just introduced Rembrandt Daily Whitening Gel With Peroxide. The 2.5-ounce product retails for $4.99.

Rembrandt dollar sales were up 22 percent and its unit sales were up 15.6 percent for the 52-week period ended July 27,1997, according to Information Resources Inc. Aquafresh was up 16.7 in dollar sales and up 9.8 percent in unit sales during the same period.

"On a dollar basis, the whitening category represents about 22 percent of dollars spent on toothpaste. Only three years ago, it was less than 2 percent." noted Larry Koslow, vice president of marketing for the Arm & Hammer division of Church and Dwight.

While whitening toothpastes are reportedly boosting gross dollars at retail, all classes of trade reported essentially flat toothpaste sales for the 52-week period ended July 27.

During this period, drug was down 1.7 percent, food was down 1.9 percent and mass was up by 1.7 percent, according to IRI.

In unit sales, drug was down by 5.9 percent, food was down by 4.3 percent and mass was down 1.3 percent.

Overall sales for oral care products have increased slightly over the last year at Walgreens, Venable said. "Product innovation seems to be driving sales, especially in dental products, such as fixes, flosses, picks and power toothbrushes," she said.

"Sales of our private-label tooth-paste have increased significantly. We're also seeing tremendous growth with Glide floss and Dazzling White toothpaste from Colgate," Venable said.

Success among the top 5

In the dentrifice category, whitening toothpastes and other new product introductions have helped boost Colgate's dollar sales amount 4.6 percent for the 52-week period ended July 27. Unit sales are up 1.7 percent. Colgate has a 19.6 percent dollar share of the total toothpaste market.

In late summer, Colgate added a new twist to both the tartar control and whitening segments by shipping Colgate Tartar Control Plus Whitening toothpaste, a line extension to the Colgate Tartar Control line. It is available in mint flavor in 4.6-ounce, 6.4-ounce and 8.2-ounce laminate tubes and a 6.0-ounce stand-up tube. It is line priced with the Colgate base.

Advertising support is scheduled to begin in October. Additional promotional support will include introductory value coupons and "Try Me Free" refund floorstands.

"We expect it to do well." Cunningham of May's said. In October 1996, Colgate introduced Colgate Whitening with Baking Soda & Peroxide. It has performed well, Cunningham said.

Colgate Whitening with Baking Soda & Peroxide is line priced with Colgate Baking Soda & Peroxide, which the company brought out in 1995.

Meanwhile, in July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared Colgate Total toothpaste for retail sale in the United States. It will be available in December in 4.2-ounce, 6.0-ounce and 7.8-ounce sizes. Colgate Total will be priced premium to Colgate Cavity Protection.

According to the company, Colgate Total is the first toothpaste that can legitimately claim it helps prevent gingivitis, plaque and cavities.

Colgate Total, which contains fluoride and the antimicrobial ingredient, triclosan, is now used by consumers in 103 countries. Support plans include a television and advertising campaign developed by Young & Rubicam, as well as heavy sampling and couponing.

Meanwhile, Colgate's arch-rival P&G is hoping that Crest MultiCare, introduced in July, will restore the fortunes of the top-selling dentrifice brand.

Crest was down by 9 percent in dollar sales and down by 10.6 percent in unit sales for the 52-week period ended July 27. Crest's dollar share of the $1.5 billion toothpaste market has dropped to 25 percent. It had a 35 percent unit share of the market five years ago.

"We are in the early phases of implementing our plans to fix our Crest business. Part of that is introducing new products, such as Crest MultiCare," said Jim Schwartz, a spokesman for P&G.

P&G is backing Crest MultiCare with a $60 million advertising and promotional campaign. It is available in 2.5-ounce, 6.2-ounce and 8.0-ounce-tubes in two flavors.