● Many brands have been forced to put up prices due to soaring commodity costs exacerbated by the weak sterling. The growth of pricier baby snacks and single-serve pouches have also pushed up the average price.

●Market leader Aptamil illustrates both trends, with value inching up 2.1% on volumes down 4.6% due to rising costs being passed on and the development of new RTD products. 

● Organic and premium brands are cashing in, as illustrated by the growth of﷯ Organix, as well as strong performances by premium babyfood players Ella’s Kitchen and Little Dish.

● Snacking brand Kiddylicious has successfully tapped the growth in infant snacking and has ventured into main meals with its new Little Bistro lines.

● Despite a relaunch of its infant portfolio, including a new Heinz by Nature range of wet meals with ingredients from a “natural source”, Heinz sales have taken a tumble.

● Milk brands Aptamil, Cow & Gate and SMA are under threat as Aldi launched the first private baby milk line in the UK at the end of 2016.

Source: IRI 52 w/e 2 December 2017 

● Fewer packs bought per shopper, driven by the move away from volume-based promotions, is the factor that’s affected the baby market most in the past year. This is a common trend seen in the main declining categories in the baby market; nappies, wipes, healthcare and food. 

● Aldi and Lidl’s Mamia and Lidl’uns ranges have continued to take their toll on brands. Aldi now represents over 25% of own-label baby sales.

● On the other side of the coin, baby toiletries are hotting up – and brands are driving growth. Dove and Aveeno launched their own baby skin and haircare lines this year, which helped them reach a combined baby toiletries share of 5%.

Alex Daykin
Kantar Worldpanel

Top 10 infant and baby food brands: IRI
Top 10 infant and baby food brands: IRI  KGS/LITRES  
  Value Sales     Volume Sales    
  52 w/e   3 Dec, 16 52 w/e   2 Dec, 17 % CHANGE 52 w/e   3 Dec, 16 52 w/e   2 Dec, 17 % CHANGE
Baby Food, Milk & Drinks £652,704,645 £656,099,711 0.5 88,814,548 84,858,087 -4.5
Aptamil £217,603,138 £222,103,193 2.1 25,213,977 24,043,833 -4.6
Cow & Gate £165,840,122 £157,016,986 -5.3 26,503,967 24,997,955 -5.7
Ellas Kitchen £47,558,365 £54,053,784 13.7 4,933,310 5,430,630 10.1
Sma £57,286,582 £52,538,797 -8.3 6,741,267 5,854,463 -13.2
Hipp £49,038,665 £47,081,655 -4.0 9,391,746 8,559,140 -8.9
Organix £38,519,029 £39,971,194 3.8 2,664,025 2,713,371 1.9
Heinz £37,630,776 £33,752,891 -10.3 8,161,656 7,203,916 -11.7
Kiddylicious £8,790,420 £14,794,639 68.3 196,542 308,752 57.1
Little Dish £7,547,818 £8,921,013 18.2 744,089 810,755 9.0
Own Label £4,261,723 £4,801,019 12.7 495,465 629,249 27.0

● Fewer packs bought per shopper, driven by the move away from volume-based promotions, is the factor that’s affected the baby market most in the past year. This is a common trend seen in the main declining categories in the baby market; nappies, wipes, healthcare and food. 

● Aldi and Lidl’s Mamia and Lidl’uns ranges have continued to take their toll on brands. Aldi now represents over 25% of own-label baby sales.

● On the other side of the coin, baby toiletries are hotting up – and brands are driving growth. Dove and Aveeno launched their own baby skin and haircare lines this year, which helped them reach a combined baby toiletries share of 5%.

Alex Daykin
Kantar Worldpanel

The infant care market: Kantar Worldpanel
The infant care market: Kantar Worldpanel, 52 w/e 8th October 2017           
TAKE HOME SHARE                        
                         
TOTAL  VALUE VOLUME AVERAGE PRICE
  Value last year (£m)  Value this year (£m)  Share %  % y-o-y Volume last year pck (m) Volume this year pck (m)  Share %  % y-o-y £/pck last year  £/pck this year  £ y-o-y  % y-o-y
Nappies 422.9 364.8 26 -13.7 86.0 78.3 11.6 -9.1 4.91 4.66 -0.25 -5.1
Baby Milk 319.3 322.6 23 1 62.8 58.0 8.6 -7.6 5.08 5.56 0.48 9.4
Baby Food 265.0 259.3 18.5 -2.1 250.2 237.0 35.1 -5.3 1.06 1.09 0.03 2.8
Baby Toiletries 137.0 143.3 10.2 4.6 100.4 100.0 14.8 -0.3 1.37 1.43 0.06 4.4
Baby Wipes 159.8 149.6 10.7 -6.4 142.7 135.4 20.1 -5.1 1.12 1.1 -0.02 -1.8
Baby Healthcare 85.4 80.8 5.8 -5.3 27.9 25.7 3.8 -8.1 3.06 3.15 0.09 2.9
Baby Accessories 76.3 78.0 5.6 2.4 37.0 36.5 5.4 -1.6 2.06 2.14 0.08 3.9
Total Baby 1471.0 1403.2 100 -4.6 712.3 675.2 100 -5.2 2.07 2.08 0.01 0.5