Asia posts highest growth in male grooming products market in 2012
Indian market grows by 32%
Asia saw the highest growth in the male grooming products market in 2012, according to a new Male Grooming Products: Global Market Brief published by Kline & Company.
The growth in this part of the world is being put down to two main factors: in Japan and South Korea, men are increasingly looking to retain a youthful and appealing look in line with a socially encouraged practice; meanwhile, in China and India, the male grooming market has been developing relatively recently and is being fuelled by greater disposable income among consumers. In India specifically, the male grooming market posted an impressive 32% growth in 2012.
Europe is still the largest market for male grooming products, but it is growing at a comparatively slower pace. Leading brands in Europe vary from country to country; in Germany, Europe’s strongest market in this category, the leading brands are Nivea for Men, L’Oréal Men Expert, and DM’s Balea MEN.
In terms of sub-categories, deodorants and antiperspirants account for the lion’s share of the market globally, however this is fragmented across different countries. In some Asian countries deodorants are in fact the weakest sub-category, partly due to a tendency to use deodorant sheets instead of sprays or roll-ons, which are popular in the west. When it comes to the hair care sub-category, the least popular market for conditioners is Germany, while demand for hair styling mousse is highest in China.
Nancy Mills, Kline's Consumer Products Practice Industry Manager, said: “Our extensive research has revealed a myriad of exciting developments. One that strikes most, revealed in the consumer part of the research, concerns the major cultural shift observed across all age groups of men in countries previously reluctant to extend male grooming beyond basic cleaning and shaving. Essentially, this is opening up a largely untapped market that consists of half the population.”